The blue wave's tough-on-crime surprise
Summary
Democrats made gains in state elections while voters approved six statewide measures in 2026 that increased criminal penalties or limited access to bail. The results included tougher fentanyl and trafficking penalties in Colorado, even as voters there rejected a measure requiring some police to notify federal immigration authorities.Key Facts
- Democrats gained at least 12 state legislative chambers and won governor’s races in Georgia, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio and Texas.
- Voters approved all six statewide ballot measures tracked by Ballotpedia that proposed tougher sentences, criminal penalties or bail restrictions.
- Four of the six measures expanded when courts could deny or restrict bail; two increased penalties, including for fentanyl offenses and child sex trafficking.
- Texas state senator-elect James Talarico described himself as a border-security Democrat and called for comprehensive immigration reform.
- Michigan state senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed said the country needed tougher border security and criticized President Trump’s use of ICE.
- Colorado voters elected Democrat Phil Weiser as governor and approved tougher fentanyl penalties and life without parole for child sex trafficking.
- Colorado voters rejected a measure that would have required police to notify federal immigration authorities in certain cases involving people suspected of violent crimes or with prior felony convictions.
- Virginia voters approved automatically restoring voting rights to people convicted of felonies when they leave incarceration; the FBI reported that the national violent-crime rate fell 9.7% in 2025 and the murder rate fell 18.5%.
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