I find myself thinking a lot about the 2026 mid-term elections and what they might mean to local communities and our nation and the world. Today’s post explores some of the questions that I believe will shape these elections.

The recent Supreme Court decision that threatens to roll back gains from the 1965 Voting Rights Act adds to the distress and the urgency of working for new leaders. Observing my stepson’s run for the state Senate in MD adds to my sense of both urgency and fresh perspective.

The case for change at the national level is hard to refute. If you seek more justice and equity, and are dismayed by the misuse of taxpayer funds and our national resources to support wars, by one of the largest defense budgets ever, and by tax benefits going to the wealthiest at the expense of affordable health care, housing, and education the need for is abundantly clear.

The cynical Trump administration throws bones to the working class and poor while advancing policies intended to maintain white supremacy in America and financial advantages for wealthy supporters.

This backward movement in economic and racial justice is taking its toll on millions of American families. Stories of families in distress and data on increased poverty and the decline of the middle class make clear this is not a distressing time that will pass quickly. Structural changes by the Trump administration will negatively impact working families for generations.

My involvement with my stepson Philip Cook’s campaign for the Maryland State Senate has caused me to think more deeply about the compelling case for new leadership committed to economic and racial justice. And the severe uphill challenge that faces those candidates and the severe uphill challenges those candidates face.

His platform is one recognizable to those committed to universal health care, child care, and improved support for affordable housing and utilities. When Senator Bernie Sanders began introducing these ideas during his 2016 run for President, they were considered radical and extreme. His campaign promoted Medicare for All, free college tuition, raising the minimum wage, climate action, and campaign finance reform.

Ten years later, the gap between the haves and have-nots is so wide in America that Senator Sanders’s ideas have either been acted upon or are part of legislative priorities for many office holders and candidates.

My stepson, like many candidates for change, is running against a long-tenured incumbent. In progressive and wealthy Montgomery County, where he is running, his opponent is respected for her track record.

What is obvious to me, watching the growing number of people facing the challenges of economic survival and raising a family, is that most people in elected positions have not experienced economic pain and the excruciating choices that face lower-income working people today. The fast-rising costs of groceries, housing, health care, utilities, and child care are reducing the middle class and expanding those considered lower income.

Consider what it means to seek election to represent and advocate for those being most harmed by current economic policies. In this county, the majority of people—and likely voters—are financially secure and only read about economic pain. Perhaps some of the “majority” have children or relatives facing these stressful choices to survive or have faced these issues in the past.

Does some experience or intellectual awareness result in a decision to look for and support candidates who are laser-focused on correcting economic and racial inequalities? Unfortunately, it feels safer to support and vote for the incumbent.

Extraordinary times demand bold leaders with new ideas. As you consider your involvement in the 2026 mid-term elections, consider who is motivated to passionately lead change for those being left behind in our top–down, shrinking-safety-net economy. Are there candidates who bring fresh ideas and energy to the challenges we face? How might you support these candidates and work in your state and community to ensure the next generation of elected officials will represent all the people?