By Ray Cardello for November 8, 2025, Season 33 / Post 14

We who have been supporters of Donald Trump since he and Melania rode the golden escalator in 2015 have had a whirlwind decade to enjoy and reflect on. The progression of Trump to the pinnacle of the Republican Party has been a rocky ride. Still, there is no denying that Trump and the MAGA movement have redefined the Party into a more inclusive political machine. If you are a Conservative, you are either with the movement or you are swimming against the tide. We have seen the value to down-ballot candidates when Trump is on the ballot, but this past Tuesday was glaring proof of what happens when he is not. The Democrats cleaned up and projected close races turned into blowouts, and we now have the most powerful city on the planet under Socialist rule. Republicans have to find a way to adjust their messaging before the midterms or face the ugly truth that all of our gains will be quickly reversed under Democrat control. We need a plan for life after Donald. Affordability is the new key word for the near future.

Neither Party is doing a good job at finding quality candidates, but the Democrats have shown that personal character means little when deciding their vote. They chose a self-proclaimed Socialist to run NYC, knowing that Socialism has never worked in any country. They chose a Governor in Virginia who was caught in a scandal at the Naval Academy and was not allowed to walk with her fellow graduates. They chose an AG in Virginia who tweeted his desire for opponents and their children to be shot and killed. They even voted for a confessed killer in Maine. The D is all that is important to the Left, and the more that D slants to the radical Left, the better. A big smile and promises of an easier, more affordable life, paid for by the rich, are all that is needed to win a race for Democrats.

The Republicans have a deep bench on the national level, but there is a tremendous drop-off when you focus on statewide ballots. We have Stefanik and Ramaswamy running in New York and Ohio, but two spots are not enough. The Democrats may be on even thinner ice. In a poll taken this week, Democratic voters could not name a leader of their Party. Kamala Harris took the second spot, but the first and third were left blank. The unifying message for Democrats for the last decade has been anti-Trump. They have no plans or solutions, so their candidates claim only to be speed bumps for the Trump agenda. Their minds are obsessed with Trump, leading me to see him as their leader, their North Star. Where is the Democratic Party going to be after Trump moves out of DC to Mar-a-Lago? Lost without a captain.

We have three years left in the Trump era, and though much has been accomplished, there is still much to do. If we lose the House and Senate in 2026, and Trump becomes a lame-duck president, all positive gains will screech to a halt. Trump’s second term would become a wasted opportunity. We have witnessed a political phenomenon with Trump. There has never been such a dominant figure impacting both Parties and the World. You can love or hate him, but you cannot deny his dominance. The help wanted sign is up in the DNC and RNC for a leader to replace President Donald J. Trump. Those are big shoes and an even bigger ego to fill, but I guarantee one thing, and that is that the big beautiful ballroom will be filled to the rafters for the Trump farewell dinner.