In the age of social media and the 24/7 news cycle, it’s often easy to exclusively see the loudest and most blaring headlines.
If you’re one of those people, you’re not alone.
For many conservatives and Republicans, Tuesday’s special election was a particularly dour night.
Just look at the headlines to come out of that night: “Zohran Mamdani is new mayor of NYC!” or “Abigail Spanberger flipped Virginia back to blue!”
It would be easy to get discouraged about Tuesday, based on the big wins.
But in politics, the little wins matter just as much — if not more.
Think about it: President Donald Trump’s policies will clearly affect you on a macro level. But the men and women who fill out the less glamorous roles in the government are the ones actually pushing policy.
The Trump administration can do what it can to ensure fairness in women’s sports, but it’s ultimately the school governing body that will make that decision.
Similarly, city council positions aren’t exactly the epitome of political glamour, but they’re just as important as POTUS, given that they will be making decisions that directly impact your city.
Are you worried about the 2026 midterms after Tuesday’s election results?
Given all that, there is a small, but meaningful, silver lining to the Democrats’ stronger-than-expected showing on Tuesday.
In Arizona, Turning Point USA — whose founder Charlie Kirk was senselessly assassinated in September — helped spark a glimmer of light in an otherwise dark night.
According to KPNX-TV, Dorean Taylor beat out Julie Spilsbury in a special recall election between two Republicans for a Mesa City Council seat.
Or, as TPUSA’s Andrew Kolvet put it, a recall election between a Republican and a RINO.
HUGE congrats to the @TPAction_ team in Arizona along with the grassroots of the party, who just pulled off one of the most difficult types of races in politics, an off year recall where you had to win and R vs RINO election. A huge bright spot in an otherwise lackluster evening. https://t.co/KWoILcNKB5
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) November 5, 2025
“HUGE congrats to the [TPUSA] team in Arizona along with the grassroots of the party, who just pulled off one of the most difficult types of races in politics, an off year recall where you had to win [an] R vs RINO election,” Kolvet posted. “A huge bright spot in an otherwise lackluster evening.”
Daily Wire pundit Megan Basham praised the move: “Well done to TPUSA who stayed focused despite an avalanche of noise and distractions swirling around them. That’s how you do it. Charlie would be proud.”
Spilsbury, while technically being a Republican, has drawn quite a bit of ire over a questionable stunt she pulled in the lead-up to the 2020 general election.
As TPUSA’s Tyler Bowyer pointed out in the message re-posted by Kolvet, Spilsbury’s claim to infamy was spearheading a pro-Kamala Harris movement, “Republicans for Harris.”
Bowyer further lauded Spilsbury’s defeat as “[o]ne of the biggest wins in America tonight.”
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