Progressive ideas swept the polls this month. Across multiple elections at the state and local government levels, voters chose pro-people and planet agendas over militarism, fossil fuels, and billionaire corporate interests. Here are 7 examples of winning progressive issues: 

1. Fund SNAP and School Lunch  

In Colorado, voters approved a state-wide referendum that increases taxes on high earners to fund school meals and food stamps. Fifty-seven per cent of voters supported the measure. At a time when the MAGA regime has made the largest cuts to food aid in history, this shows there is support for using our tax dollars to help struggling people, and demanding that the wealthy pay their fair share.  

2. Authoritarian Occupations Off Our Streets

In Michigan, City Council President Mary Sheffield was elected as Detroit’s mayor and first woman to lead the city. Sheffield has been clear in her opposition to the Trump administration's suggestion of sending troops to Michigan, stating she would fight back against any attempt to deploy the National Guard in Detroit. Meanwhile, her opponent, fellow Democrat Rev. Solomon Kinloch appeared less resolute. Kinloch was forced to backtrack after suggesting that as Mayor, he would “welcome some National Guard help.” Our research shows that National Guard occupations of U.S. cities have so far cost $473 million.

3. End Impunity for ICE Agents 

In New Jersey, voters overwhelmingly supported Mikie Sherrill’s platform that focused on affordability, child well-being, and government accountability. Sherrill is opposed to using New Jersey military bases as ICE detention centers, and stated that if elected, she would “seek to ban federal immigration agents from covering their faces during enforcement operations”- a dangerous practice taking place within MAGA’s cruel and unpopular mass deportation agenda taking place that impedes accountability and stokes growing public mistrust of government.   

4. Energy Should be Affordable and Renewable 

In Georgia, voters chose candidates who opposed energy rate hikes and supported renewable power for two positions on the five-member Public Service Commission. The challengers unseated two incumbents who had voted to keep coal plants online to meet growing data center energy demands. Georgia has become a center of anti-data center organizing in recent years, driven by community concerns that corporations are “sucking up the water, the electricity, the land—and not really paying any taxes.”

5. Support Human Rights for Palestinians 

In New York City, Zohran Mamdani made history bringing thousands of new voters to the polls in support of his populist campaign that focused on improving affordability and public services. Mamdani has also been outspoken on behalf of supporting Palestinian rights, opposing Israeli war crimes, and ending U.S. support for Israel’s ongoing genocide and illegal occupation of Palestinian land. 

Meanwhile in Virginia, voters reelected Sam Rasoul, a Palestinian-American and outspoken supporter of Palestinian rights, for a Virginia House of Delegates seat. These wins prove that electoral success doesn’t require unquestioning support of the Israeli government; in fact, “you can be bold on the Gaza genocide and still be victorious.”

6. We Elect Our Leaders. Billionaires Don’t Choose Them.

In Pennsylvania, three Democratic state Supreme Court judges retained their seats in an election where billionaire Jeff Yass spent millions in an attempt to buy seats on the Court  and reshape the state’s politics. Yass is one of the Trump Administration’s biggest donors, and avowedly anti-public schools, anti-regulation, pro big tech. Yass has also spent millions to fund  anti-Muslim and pro-Israel groups that support U.S. war with Iran. 

Yass’ effort to buy the election failed. Voters chose to keep three Justices – Christine Donohue, Kevin M. Dougherty, and David N. Wecht - who each have track records protecting abortion access and voting rights, supporting state-wide behavioral health services, and requiring private employers to provide paid sick leave over industry objections. 

7. Education for All 

In Mississippi, voters came out in strong support of public school funding. In Senate District 2, voters chose Theresa Isom’s platform that emphasized spending on public schools and healthy communities. In Senate District 45, voters chose former Hattiesburg Public School Board member and Mayor Johnny DuPree’s platform of fully funded public schools. And in House District 22, voters chose Justin Crosby in a campaign that focused on quality public education for every child. In supporting public school, voters ended a Republican supermajority in the Senate and flipped a seat in the state House.