Tuesday, November 4th was a clear rejection of the authoritarian policies of the Trump administration and the harm he has caused and continues to cause Americans. Author James Baldwin is quoted as saying, “I can’t believe what you say, because I see what you do.” Americans who went out to vote in places like California, New York, Virginia, Georgia, New Jersey, and right here in Florida sent a clear message to the White House that they are both watching Donald Trump but, more importantly, are dissatisfied with the broken promises and abject violence of a Trump administration seen by many as rogue. Whether it is the disappearance of friends and neighbors by ICE agents, the rising costs of rent and groceries, or the outsized role billionaires have played in lining their pockets with the hard-earned money of working-class people struggling to get by, Election Night proved that Americans are fed up.
New York City saw the election of a millennial mayor, Zohran Mamdani, who squarely focused his campaign around affordability and working people. Virginia and New Jersey both elected former Democratic members of Congress and women who were upfront about their desire to protect reproductive freedom and LGBTQIA+ rights. Young people of color broke barriers in cities like Boston (MA), Detroit (MI), Albany (NY), and Stockbridge (GA)—all running on campaigns to create public safety that focused more on people than police. Voters in California came together to exercise real democracy by passing Prop 50, which is a direct response to Trump’s coercion of state legislatures to control the halls of Congress.
Right here in Florida, we saw a rejection of the Trump agenda in places like Orlando, where former State Representative Tom Keen won election to the Orlando City Council and Councilwoman Shan Rose retained her seat on the council—all of this coming just a week after Naya Young won a tremendous victory to gain a seat on the Tampa City Council. This sends a clear message that Central Florida is putting the country on notice that this state is not a bright-red check in the Republican win column. If you need further proof of that, look no further than the City of Miami, where there has not been a Democratic mayor since Manny Diaz left office in 2009. On Election Day, those voters sent a profound message, choosing Democrats in two of the top three vote-getters, with frontrunner Eileen Higgins outpacing her next closest competitor by 16 points.
If Election Night 2025 was an indicator of what’s to come in 2026, it looks to me like people are tuning in and demanding a type of representation that focuses on solutions and policies that center the hardworking people who actually make this country great!
In Solidarity,
Victricia Simmons
Executive Director
2025: A Year Without Breaks
Miami Referendum — November 4
Passed with 76% approval after months of legal challenges.
Established a fairer redistricting process and voter-driven accountability.
A companion term-limits amendment also passed overwhelmingly.
Orlando — November 4
City Council elections in Districts 1, 3, and 5.
Tom Keen (D1) and Shan Rose (D5) both won outright; Mira Tanna (D3) advanced to a runoff.
Field operations included Super Saturdays, canvasses, and coordinated phone banks.
October 28 — City of Tampa Runoff (District 5)
Special election runoff in City Council District 5.
Naya Young won the runoff with 61% of the vote.
10,000+ calls made and 2,700+ doors knocked.
September 9 — City of Tampa Special Election (District 5)
Special election in City Council District 5 following the passing of Councilwoman Gwendolyn Henderson.
Naya Young advanced to the runoff election on October 28.
9,000+ calls made and 2,500+ doors knocked.
September 2 — Central Florida General Election (SD15 and HD40)
General election for Senate District 15 and House District 40 in Orange County.
LaVon Bracy Davis and RaShon Young both won with strong margins.
1,200 calls made and 600+ doors knocked during the campaign period, with members and staff continuing outreach through Election Day.
Central Florida — June 24
Special elections for Senate District 15 and House District 40.
Endorsed LaVon Bracy Davis (SD15) and RaShon Young (HD40) — both won with over 70% of the vote.
1,274 calls made and 600+ doors knocked.
Miami District 4 — June 3
Special election to fill the seat vacated by Commissioner Manolo Reyes.
Ralph Rosado won with 55.13% of the vote.
Bilingual digital campaign reached 7,000+ viewers on Facebook and 1,300+ on TikTok.
Daily phone banks and two canvasses, with a seamless pivot during inclement weather.
South Florida — March 11
Municipal elections in Miramar, Riviera Beach, and Boynton Beach.
6,385 calls made and 1,020 doors knocked, supported by local media placements and member op-eds.
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