Dear John,

Tuesday’s elections marked a much-needed boost for the resistance. In a election that was largely seen as a bellwether for 2026’s midterms, Democrats and progressive causes dominated across the board—from mayoral races to gubernatorial races to ballot measures and smaller local elections.

In all these races, women were a decisive force, turning out at higher rates than men and making up a majority of voters. Historic gender gaps drove a number of democratic victories, as we reported this week: In Virginia, 65 percent of women voted for Democrat Abigail Spanberger for governor, compared to 48 percent of men—a 17-point gender gap. And in New Jersey, women backed Democrat Mikie Sherrill by 62 percent, compared with 49 percent of men—a 13-point gap that proved decisive in her win. The exit polls reveal that support for women’s rights, reproductive freedom, gender equality and fair immigration policies powered Democratic victories this election season.

While races like New York City’s mayoral election and California’s Prop. 50 may have dominated the headlines, plenty of lower-profile races will have significant impacts for women, democracy and equality. In Pennsylvania, three Democratic justices won their retention votes—preserving a 5-2 democratic majority on a court that has the potential to issue significant decisions about abortion, redistricting and voting rights for years to come. Voters in Mississippi flipped two GOP-held seats, bringing the number of Republican senators down from 36 to 34—ending Republicans’ supermajority. Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield made history as the city’s first woman mayor, running on a platform focused on expanding housing options for single mothers and their families. And further down the ballot in Georgia, Democrats Peter Hubbard and Alicia Johnson ousted two Republicans in a statewide election for Georgia’s utility board. (For more election analysis, check out the story below.)

The fate of November’s SNAP benefits remains uncertain. On Friday evening, after losing its appeal with the 1st Circuit, the Trump administration filed an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court asking it to block a lower federal court’s order to pay the full SNAP benefits for November, which the administration had been withholding. And late Friday night, the Court granted the appeal.

“Let us not forget that here, in the richest country on earth, it took judicial intervention to force the President to carry out a program that keeps 42 million low-income Americans fed,” said Ms. contributor Abby J. Leibman, who is CEO and President of MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger. "As Judge McConnell himself wrote, ‘This is a problem that could have and should have been avoided.’ That is a devastating reality."

And then on Thursday, the start of the end of an era. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi—the only woman to be House speaker—announced that she plans to retire in 2027, after 39 years in Congress.

Pelosi made history in 2007 when she was elected speaker of the House. At the time, the historic nature of her achievement as first woman speaker was all but ignored by the mainstream press—neither TIME nor Newsweek put her on their covers, as had been their practice with each new speaker. Ms. was the first national magazine to put Pelosi on our cover, under the headline: “This is what a speaker looks like.” She has appeared on our cover two more times since.

It’s a bittersweet moment for the nation, for feminists, and for me personally. I’ve had the privilege of knowing Rep. Pelosi for almost 30 years. She celebrated Ms.’s 50th anniversary with us in the U.S. Capitol, and I’ve been with her at too many events and meetings and marches and rallies and press conferences to count. Pelosi is a staunch feminist, a tireless advocate for women’s equality and the rights and freedoms of all Americans. Her fierce determination and her ability to find a way forward when every path seemed blocked, will be hard to match. “Organize, don’t agonize” was her mantra.

If this week’s election results tell us anything, it’s that there’s a new generation of feminist elected leaders and activists ready and willing to pick up her mantle, and live out her mantra.

For equality,

Weekly Digest

Weekly Digest

Letter from an Editor | November 8, 2025

This Week's Must-Reads from Ms.

Election Results: Historic Gender Gaps Shape 2025 Outcomes in Virginia, New Jersey and Beyond

Nancy Pelosi, Feminist Icon and Political Powerhouse, to Retire in 2027

Two Roommates, Two Governorships—and a Blueprint for Women’s Power

Prop 50’s Resounding Victory Shows Activism Can Be Transformed Into Voting