The Power of Two Votes

Good news this week in North Carolina

The first midterms of 2026 were held this week and we saw some interesting things.

In North Carolina, where Red Wine & Blue is on the ground organizing all year long, the most powerful Republican in the state lost his primary by two votes. Phil Berger has led the North Carolina Senate since 2011 and he’s used that power to pad his own pockets by doing personal business with lobbyists. He’s also pushed for voter ID laws that would disenfranchise Black voters.

A lengthy recall process is about to begin, so it’s hard to say what the final results will be. But one thing is certain: to all of the North Carolinians who encouraged their friends and family to vote, your efforts made a difference!

Meanwhile, in Texas, the much-discussed primary race between Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico ended in a victory for Talarico. We’re a little disappointed — we’re big Jasmine fans around here — but if you zoom out, there’s a positive story for all progressives. For the first time in a generation, more Democrats in Texas turned out to vote than Republicans.

There was another trend too, in both Texas and North Carolina. Incumbents are struggling to win against challengers who are newer to politics. The message is clear: we don’t like how things are going and we’re ready for a change.

There’s a lot of work still to do, but signs are pointing to a Blue Wave this November!