"We Got Crushed": GOP Apathy Fuels Democratic Election Blitz

Paul Riverbank, 11/21/2025Republicans face a wake-up call after recent election losses, with Democratic turnout and grassroots organization outpacing GOP efforts. With midterms looming, party leaders must mobilize every voter and rebuild engagement, or risk continued defeat both locally and on the national stage.

Look at what happened in New Jersey’s 11th district, where Mikie Sherrill netted over 440,000 votes—a figure that outpaced turnout even when Phil Murphy was defending the governor’s mansion. The Democratic ground game, already a well-oiled operation, seemed to shift into overdrive. Republican campaigners, meanwhile, have begun voicing what their own returns suggest: “We didn’t show up—we got crushed,” one strategist begrudgingly told me after the results came in.

This goes beyond temporary realignment. These weren’t swing states where either party walks a tightrope every cycle. Many contests took place in reliably Democratic neighborhoods, yet GOP leaders had entered this season feeling the winds might finally be at their backs—quiet confidence replaced now by hard introspection. How could so many conservatives stay home, convinced “someone else” would cast the decisive ballots?

What’s clear from watching these campaigns up close: the Democratic playbook hasn’t changed, but their command of it is remarkable. It’s more of a march than a scramble. From mail-in ballot collection to the precision of door-to-door canvassing, they’ve built habits over decades that are proving tough to crack. If you walked past the local Dem office this fall, chances are you’d see volunteers packing walk sheets and clipboards, planning their next neighborhood blitz. “They move together,” said one frustrated Republican field director, eyeing a chunk of canvass maps left untouched in her office.

Some numbers from CNN’s coverage back up the on-the-ground mood. Pollster Harry Enten cited a recent Marquette Law poll that paints the clearest picture: among those certain to vote next time, 53 percent plan to back Democrats, compared with 44 percent for Republicans. Enten sounded almost surprised—he called it a nine-point enthusiasm edge for the left, a gap that hasn't broken in Democrats' favor for 20 years. “That’s A+ for them,” Enten remarked, hinting the GOP should take the warning to heart.

In past cycles—think 2006, 2010, even 2018—it was Republicans who reliably told pollsters, “I’m definitely turning out.” Not so this time. Party activists who remember how quickly political fortunes can change are starting to admit: the energy isn’t with them, and they’ll need to find a way to recapture it before 2026 midterms.

For all the focus on who runs city councils, the implications go far wider. As one long-serving Pennsylvania committeeman noted to me, “Local elections set policies, but they also shape the national conversation later.” Decisions made now, whether about budget priorities or law enforcement, end up rippling out into Senate races, presidential platforms, and more.

Within GOP circles there is, inevitably, no shortage of Monday morning quarterbacking. The debate is less about switching figureheads and more about relearning the basics that made the party competitive in the first place. Steve Bannon’s advice is direct—“We need a simple, aggressive plan. The entire team must execute.” Others, like Cliff Maloney, are returning to the gospel of grassroots. “Door-knocking and ballot-chasing win us elections—it’s that simple,” he says, recalling how slim margins in past cycles were delivered not by flashy ads, but relentless fieldwork.

None of this would matter if people were sold on the Republican message in 2024, but the data says otherwise. In Wisconsin, for example, just over a third gave the Trump-era economy high marks, and barely a quarter favored his handling of inflation. Even among loyalists, there’s a sense of malaise—one Trump campaign adviser confided that many “just feel burned out” looking at the current data.

Still, hope isn’t entirely lost. Groups like Citizens Alliance and Turning Point Action are working the phones, training up new precinct captains, talking about best practices learned the hard way over the last few cycles. “Matching what Democrats do won’t be enough. We need to go further and faster,” urged one strategist, bluntly.

If these recent setbacks teach anything, it’s that turnout can’t ever be assumed. Elections are won by those who hustle for each and every ballot, street by street. For the GOP, that means returning again and again to basics, and most of all, not underestimating the machinery their opponents have built—one early vote at a time.

The sting from recent local elections is something Republicans aren’t shaking off easily these days—not after watching blue territory become even bluer almost overnight. Some New Jersey party volunteers, just a month ago, talked optimistically at kitchen tables about flipping township councils. In the end, Democrats ran up the score, and those private hopes evaporated by the time the final precincts reported.Look at what happened in New Jersey’s 11th district, where Mikie Sherrill netted over 440,000 votes—a figure that outpaced turnout even when Phil Murphy was defending the governor’s mansion. The Democratic ground game, already a well-oiled operation, seemed to shift into overdrive. Republican campaigners, meanwhile, have begun voicing what their own returns suggest: “We didn’t show up—we got crushed,” one strategist begrudgingly told me after the results came in.This goes beyond temporary realignment. These weren’t swing states where either party walks a tightrope every cycle. Many contests took place in reliably Democratic neighborhoods, yet GOP leaders had entered this season feeling the winds might finally be at their backs—quiet confidence replaced now by hard introspection. How could so many conservatives stay home, convinced “someone else” would cast the decisive ballots?What’s clear from watching these campaigns up close: the Democratic playbook hasn’t changed, but their command of it is remarkable. It’s more of a march than a scramble. From mail-in ballot collection to the precision of door-to-door canvassing, they’ve built habits over decades that are proving tough to crack. If you walked past the local Dem office this fall, chances are you’d see volunteers packing walk sheets and clipboards, planning their next neighborhood blitz. “They move together,” said one frustrated Republican field director, eyeing a chunk of canvass maps left untouched in her office.Some numbers from CNN’s coverage back up the on-the-ground mood. Pollster Harry Enten cited a recent Marquette Law poll that paints the clearest picture: among those certain to vote next time, 53 percent plan to back Democrats, compared with 44 percent for Republicans. Enten sounded almost surprised—he called it a nine-point enthusiasm edge for the left, a gap that hasn't broken in Democrats' favor for 20 years. “That’s A+ for them,” Enten remarked, hinting the GOP should take the warning to heart.In past cycles—think 2006, 2010, even 2018—it was Republicans who reliably told pollsters, “I’m definitely turning out.” Not so this time. Party activists who remember how quickly political fortunes can change are starting to admit: the energy isn’t with them, and they’ll need to find a way to recapture it before 2026 midterms.For all the focus on who runs city councils, the implications go far wider. As one long-serving Pennsylvania committeeman noted to me, “Local elections set policies, but they also shape the national conversation later.” Decisions made now, whether about budget priorities or law enforcement, end up rippling out into Senate races, presidential platforms, and more.Within GOP circles there is, inevitably, no shortage of Monday morning quarterbacking. The debate is less about switching figureheads and more about relearning the basics that made the party competitive in the first place. Steve Bannon’s advice is direct—“We need a simple, aggressive plan. The entire team must execute.” Others, like Cliff Maloney, are returning to the gospel of grassroots. “Door-knocking and ballot-chasing win us elections—it’s that simple,” he says, recalling how slim margins in past cycles were delivered not by flashy ads, but relentless fieldwork.None of this would matter if people were sold on the Republican message in 2024, but the data says otherwise. In Wisconsin, for example, just over a third gave the Trump-era economy high marks, and barely a quarter favored his handling of inflation. Even among loyalists, there’s a sense of malaise—one Trump campaign adviser confided that many “just feel burned out” looking at the current data.Still, hope isn’t entirely lost. Groups like Citizens Alliance and Turning Point Action are working the phones, training up new precinct captains, talking about best practices learned the hard way over the last few cycles. “Matching what Democrats do won’t be enough. We need to go further and faster,” urged one strategist, bluntly.If these recent setbacks teach anything, it’s that turnout can’t ever be assumed. Elections are won by those who hustle for each and every ballot, street by street. For the GOP, that means returning again and again to basics, and most of all, not underestimating the machinery their opponents have built—one early vote at a time.