5 Thoughts We Have on the Midterms

By Alex Buscemi, Editorial Manager at Builders

In the wake of an unprecedented “blue wave” that swept across America and flipped both chambers of Congress blue, we’re left standing waist-deep in water wondering what to make of all this. We have an extremely politically diverse staff at Builders. So today, some of us are exuberant. Others have mixed feelings. All of us are wondering how we should move forward with compassion and curiosity.

Here are five thoughts at the top of our minds after the 2026 midterms.

In the wake of an unprecedented “blue wave” that swept across America and flipped both chambers of Congress blue, we’re left standing waist-deep in water wondering what to make of all this. The Builders team is politically diverse. Today, some of us are exuberant. Others have mixed feelings. All of us are looking to move forward with compassion and curiosity.

Here are five thoughts at the top of our minds after the 2026 midterms and how we can all be a Builder in this moment.

1. We are thankful for the gracious concession of power

One of the understated triumphs was how the losing side responded. Across the country, Republicans accepted the results, and many congratulated their Democratic opponents.

President Trump, who more than a few people feared might reprise the chaos of January 6, congratulated Democrats and said: “I look forward to working with you for the good of our country.”

The peaceful transfer of power held. That humble ritual is one on which so much of our democracy depends. It’s easy to take it for granted until you remember how fragile it can be. A concession speech is a small act with enormous meaning. It says the system matters more than a politician’s own ambition, and the country matters more than any side’s victory. That spirit, win or lose, is exactly what keeps a republic standing.

2. What drove the blue wave?

Every election hands us a result and then a much harder question: why? It’s tempting to reach for one clear explanation, but the honest truth is that we don’t fully know yet, and the people claiming certainty this soon are just guessing.

Was it the economy? With the cost of living near the top of nearly every voter’s list of worries, it would be no surprise if pocketbook anxiety (the rent, the grocery bill, the feeling that paychecks just aren’t stretching) drove a great deal of what we saw.

Were voters responding to corruption concerns, tired of leaders who seem to serve themselves before the public? Did candidate quality matter more than party this cycle, with some contenders failing to earn trust? Did many simply vote all blue down the ballot out of protest?

The definitive answers will come into sharper focus over the coming weeks and months, as the data gets sorted and the dust settles. For now, our hope is that winners resist the temptation to assume they’ve been handed a sweeping mandate and instead do the hard work of discerning what the people who elected them actually want.

3. Lots of Builders won their races

Our sister organization, Builders Bloc, used a first-of-its-kind tool, the Builders Index, to scan news stories, social media posts, campaign websites, and legislative records to understand which candidates are most likely to work across the aisle and get things done. Every candidate, regardless of political party, was assessed in the same way. Scores were generated based on four candidate qualities: being values-driven, solutions-oriented, collaborative, and constructive.

They identified the top 10 Builders running for Congress, the overwhelming majority of whom won their midterm elections, including Rep. Don Davis (D-NC, Builder’s Score: 90.5), Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY, Builder’s Score: 87), and Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT, Builder’s score: 86.5).

4. We are excited about the strong turnout in battleground states

If you’ve ever worried that Americans had given up on democracy, this election offers a powerful rebuttal. Turnout was strong, strikingly so in the battleground states where the stakes ran highest. That may matter more than any single race on the ballot. It suggests that belief in self-government is alive and well, and that people still feel their voices are worth using. Whatever side you landed on, that’s something all of us can celebrate together.

5. What can we do now as Builders?

The votes are counted, but for a Builder, the real work of citizenship is just beginning.

If your candidate won, your job as a citizen is far from over. Now you must hold them accountable. Pay attention: Do they do what they say they will? If your candidate lost, the winners now represent you too. Call or write their offices about issues you care about.

And all of us, whichever way our races broke, can do one more thing: have compassion for the people who voted differently. Most of them were weighing the very same worries you were, about prices, about jobs, about the people they love. They aren’t the enemy. They’re your neighbors, and every conversation ahead goes better when you start from there.