Guest column: Election results: Maybe too blue to be purple

Winning power is not the same as earning trust. Winning an election is not the same as earning the right to stop listening. The 2026 midterms shifted the balance of power in Washington and state capitols, but they did not change the obligation of those elected to represent everyone, especially those who voted against them. Before the election, 39 of the 50 states had a single party controlling the governor’s office and both legislative chambers — a trifecta. Republicans held 23, Democrats 16. The November 3 results have shifted that balance: Democrats have gained unified control in several states, while Republicans have lost it in others. Some outcomes are still being counted. Whatever the final count, changing the color of government is not the same as changing its habits. And those habits matter. State governments decide on schools, health care, roads, housing, taxes and voting rules. Cities and counties carry out much of that work, closer to home.

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