U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani attend a "New York is Not For Sale" rally at Forest Hills Stadium, in the Queens borough of New York City, U.S., October 26, 2025. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
WASHINGTON — Democratic Senators were in good spirits on Capitol Hill on Wednesday after a bloodbath election in several states around the country.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) heavily supported New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, who hammered an economic message over and over again.
Speaking to Raw Story, Sanders said that this is the playbook for Democrats around the country.
"In my view, the Democrats have got to remain strong and continue to defend working families, not allow premiums to double or triple," he said.
"Now, I understand there's some discussion — bipartisan discussion — going on if they want a vote. I'm not sure what the vote means. If there is a vote here that will, in fact, extend the tax credits and get the commitment of the Speaker of the House, that he will support it, get the commitment of the president of the United States, that he will support it, then we're making progress. But if there is a vote, just a vote, that means nothing, because it doesn't go any place.”
The result, he said is that premiums double and 15 million people lose healthcare. All the while, there is a tax cut for the super-rich, he explained.
"That's a fraudulent approach," Sanders continued. "They can vote on something, but the vote is going to mean something. That means a commitment on the speaker of the House that he will support the legislation that. The president will sign it."
He thinks that voters are sending the message, "'Please, Democrats — who haven't been strong in the past — stand tall now. Protect us.' I mean, we are hearing horrible stories. People with chronic illnesses.”
“Some of you may have heard the expression, ‘when we fight, we win.’ You ever hear that? Well, when you cave, you lose." Sanders closed.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) thinks the success is more about "a total repudiation of Donald Trump and his authoritarian actions and his refusal to deal with the issue that's on people's minds, which are the increasing prices and costs."
"So to that extent, yes," he said, it strengthens the argument for Democrats continuing to fight for healthcare subsidies.
“I'd say one good thing, because of the election, the president seems to notice that we have this issue,” Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) said about the health care debate. “And my hope is he gets more engaged on it and is willing to have a real negotiation with Democratic and Republican leadership in the Congress. That would be a real positive thing. That's the quickest way to solve this issue and get out of this shutdown.”
In Pennsylvania, the Democratic judges on the state Supreme Court kept their seats, and a transgender woman was elected the mayor of Downingtown, a small suburb of Philadelphia.
Raw Story asked Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) about the election results after he had spent weeks complaining Democrats should end the shutdown. Just three days ago, he said Democrats should "own the shutdown." However, many Democrats have said that it proves they were right to stick tight and keep fighting.
“So they think we should continue to keep it shut?” Fetterman asked.
“Well, yeah, I'm not shocked to hear that. I think it's wrong to shut it down," Fetterman said. “I've been very consistent through this since March and everything. So yeah."
Raw Story asked if the politics have changed.
"It's like, that's what I'm saying. It's not a sh--y game show, you know? It's like, it's wrong," Fetterman said before calling out his fellow Democrats. "Do they depend on SNAP? Probably not."