Op-Ed: The Winners and Losers of the 2026 Election
By Steve Levy
As the dust settles on this monumental midterm election, we look at the winners and losers of this historic day.
THE WINNERS:
1…Iran
With anti-war Democrats solidly empowered in both chambers, Iran may have won its conflict with the U.S. without firing a shot. The ability of the president to get additional funding to win this war has been severely hampered.
2…China
Democrats not only promised to end the war in Iran, but also to reverse Trump‘s tariffs. China’s growth has been stunted since Trump implemented his tariff reciprocation policies. Look for the new Congress to stymie the president’s ability to keep these tariffs in place, thereby flooding the nation with more Chinese imports.
3…Illegal Aliens
It’s not just border control funding that will be cut, but also the money necessary to implement federal enforcement of immigration laws within the U.S. Look for the number of deportations to decline dramatically.
4…Islamism
We’re not referring to Muslim candidates or officials, but rather the policy espoused by emerging state and federal leaders exhibiting tolerance of the concept of sharia law and an indifference to terrorist activity within the U.S. and abroad.
5…Florida and Ron DeSantis
The people of Florida dodged a bullet by barely preventing their state government flipping to Democratic control. The state has experienced tremendous growth and prosperity under the leadership of Ron DeSantis and that should continue going forward. Florida taxpayers can breathe a sigh of relief and DeSantis may emerge as a leading contender for the 2028 nomination.
6…AOC
The Democratic Socialists of America have been energized with these victories and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (DSA-Astoria) will emerge as their leader. The probability that she seeks the presidential nomination, as opposed to Chuck Schumer’s Senate seat, has grown exponentially.
THE LOSERS
1…American Security
The election of El-Sayed to the United States Senate is shockingly dangerous. This is a man who has proven to be hateful toward our country and sympathetic to the cause of terrorists. The idea of him having access to confidential national security information is chilling.
2…Texas
Texas was the safe haven for individuals and companies that wanted to flee blue state craziness and their over-regulation and high taxes. Many will question whether it’s worth leaving Democrat-controlled California, Illinois or New York to migrate to a state that will likely be far less hospitable to business growth than it had been traditionally.
3…Israel
The Jewish state has long been alone in its battle for survival, with the exception of having the United States superpower on its side. Those days may be over as this new Democratic majority may be poised to hold back funding on even Israel‘s defensive capability.
4…JD Vance
The midterms were a repudiation of President Trump‘s policies and the person most linked at the hip to him, Vice President JD Vance, will likely be hobbled moving forward, as even Republican voters may want a break from the present inertia.
5…The AI Industry and Your 401(k)
Don’t be fooled by the counterintuitive potential short-term jump in the market after this Democratic win. In the long run, the Democrats’ hostility toward AI expansion could have a crippling effect on the NASDAQ market, which has been the prime mover of the growth of our 401(k)s. It will also give China a leg up in the race to win control of the AI industry.
6…The American Worker
Unemployment is low, in large part because up to two million illegal immigrants have been deported, voluntarily or by force, opening up positions for American citizens. Meanwhile, efforts to require able-bodied people to go back to work as a condition for receiving Medicaid or food stamps will be eliminated, thereby placing further burden on the American taxpayers.
7…Companies That Planned to Build in America
Trump’s tariff policies were designed to incentivize investors to build in America’s heartland. The higher cost on imports was to be offset by the growth in GDP that would come about from new companies and jobs created within our American shores due to a change in the competitive landscape. But fewer companies and investors will be willing to take that risk, knowing that the products built here will not be able to compete against cheaper goods that will be allowed to be imported once the Trump tariffs are removed.
8…Elon Musk and Republican Operatives
The first words out of the mouth of House Oversight Committee Chair Robert Garcia (D-California) was “lawyer up.” The new Democratic leadership is not masking the fact that lawfare and retribution will be at the top of their priority list. Look for their quest to seek revenge against Elon Musk for pouring money into GOP races, and against Republican appointees, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Even if a third impeachment is not pursued, look for the Dems to target the Trump family with investigations, subpoenas and possible prosecutions.
9…Girls
Get used to it, girls. This Democratic majority is hell-bent on forcing you to play against biological males and share your locker rooms with them.
Elections have consequences.
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Steve Levy is President of Common Sense Strategies, a political consulting firm. He served as Suffolk County Executive, as a NYS Assemblyman, and host of the “On the Right Side Podcast.” He is the author of “Solutions to America’s Problems” and “Bias in the Media.” www.SteveLevy.info, steve@commonsensestrategies.com.