The Democrats’ big election revealed a hidden constraint on Trump

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at a "Yes on Prop 50" volunteer event at the LA Convention Center on November 1, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. | Jill Connelly/Getty Images So far, the biggest successes against President Donald Trump’s second-term assault on democracy have come not from Congress and the Supreme Court, but more unusual sources: lower-court judges, “No Kings” protests, a Disney+ subscriber boycott, and Trump’s own indiscipline and incompetence. After the 2025 elections, we can add the states to the list. And in some ways, this avenue of resistance may prove to be