Sisters and brothers -

Congratulations. We did it.

In this extremely dangerous moment in American history, progressives just won an historic victory. We helped revitalize American democracy. We successfully took on the Oligarchs and the corporate media. We gave a voice to the voiceless and hope to the young.

On Tuesday, Zohran Mamdani pulled off one of the great political upsets in modern American history and was elected mayor of New York City - the largest city in the country.

Starting at 1 percent in the polls, Zohran ran a brilliant campaign that mobilized 90,000 grassroots volunteers. Despite being outspent by almost 3-1, despite having to take on a former well-known governor, despite opposition from the president of the United States, despite opposition from the Republican establishment and the Democratic establishment Zohran got over 50% of the vote in a 3-way race. His support from the working class, young people and people of color was overwhelming in an election that had the highest voter turnout in decades.

Zohran’s victory is a nightmare for both the Republican establishment and the Democratic establishment. It showed that if a candidate is prepared to take on the big money interests, fight for an agenda that speaks to the needs of working people and run a grassroots campaign – no matter how powerful the opposition is - that candidate can win. That’s the lesson of Zohran’s campaign - a lesson that, in my view, can be replicated in every part of this country. At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, when the very rich are getting much richer while ordinary Americans are unable to afford their rent, their health care, their education, their groceries and other basic necessities, Zohran showed that people want transformational economic and political change.

But Zohran’s win was not the only victory Tuesday night.

From coast to coast, in small towns and large cities, the American people turned out in huge numbers to reject Trumpism.

They said NO to oligarchy, NO to authoritarianism, NO to kleptocracy, NO to massive cuts in programs that working people desperately need, NO to huge tax breaks for the richest people in our country.

The American people easily elected Democratic governors in Virginia and New Jersey. They passed Proposition 50 in California. They won two statewide elections in Georgia and three State Supreme Court seats in Pennsylvania.

Anywhere Democrats and Republicans were on the ballot, the American people supported the Democrat and rejected the Republican.

Trumpism was soundly rejected.

Now it's time to deliver.

What does all that mean for the politics of Washington, DC where Republicans control the White House, the Senate and the U.S. House? It’s not complicated. The American people want Democrats in Congress to stand up to Trump and fight back against his unprecedented and dangerous agenda. They want the Democrats to stop being weak.

The average American understands that the Republican Party is responsible for the government shutdown because of their refusal to negotiate. They understand that, in order to give a trillion dollars in tax breaks to the 1%, Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” slashed Medicaid and threw 15 million Americans off their health care. They understand that at a time when health insurance is already sky-high Trump’s policies are doubling the cost of premiums in the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

In poll after poll and in Tuesday’s elections the American people - Democrats, Independents, Republicans - have been very clear. The Democrats cannot allow the Republicans to wreak havoc on an already broken health care system. They cannot allow tens of thousands of Americans to unnecessarily die because they no longer have health insurance. They cannot allow nursing homes, rural hospitals and community health centers to be decimated.

Bottom line. The Democrats cannot cave in the government shutdown fight. They must protect the health care needs of the American people. They must stand firm.

Democrats in Congress are the last remaining opposition to Trump’s quest for absolute power and his war against the working class. To surrender now would be an historic tragedy for our country, something that history will not look kindly upon -- and something I believe voters will remember in the next election.

We are living in the most dangerous and pivotal moment in modern American history. Our children and future generations will not forget what we do now.

This week, we won the elections we needed to win.

Now, we must continue to stand with the American people and fight for a government and economy that works for all, and not just the 1%.

The progressive movement is moving forward.

Thanks for all you are doing.

In Solidarity,

Bernie