How House Democrats flipped New York and California seats - Rubin WaPo

In an adverse political environment, Democrats found success in House races, increasing their seats from 213 to 215 and reducing the Republicans’ majority at the start of the session to just two seats (helped by President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of three GOP House members for Cabinet positions). If not for the extreme Republican gerrymandering in North Carolina that wiped out three Democratic seats, Democrats would have won the majority.

Despite talk of drop-off in blue states, Democrats’ most impressive gains came in New York (4th, 19th and 22nd Congressional Districts) and California (13th, 27th and 45th Congressional Districts). How did they do it?

Unsurprisingly, money is essential. California candidates “routinely posted seven-figure fundraising hauls, putting them in a position to more efficiently buy TV airtime,” Politico reported, with help from “the party and major super PACs, which early on oriented their funding goals in anticipation of the high cost of playing in those races.” Yasmin Radjy, executive director of the progressive PAC Swing Left, told me, “These victories were made possible by deep, year-round grassroots organizing and fundraising at scale, which freed candidates to spend more time talking directly with voters.”

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The formula is simple: Organize continually; unite progressives and moderates in “fighting” for ordinary Americans and abortion rights; and carefully match candidates to their district. As Bennett puts it, “It isn’t complicated: Moderates win races in purple districts and build the majority, while progressive candidates generally just make blue seats.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/12/10/democrats-flipped-house-seats-ny-california/