Dem, GOP strategists debate what 2017 elections mean for next year

by Alexandra Oliveira - 11/08/17 5:36 PM ET

Republican strategist Ford O’Connell is skeptical that Democrats’ victories on Tuesday will translate to wins in 2018.

{mosads}Democrats notched wins across the country in the off-year election, including the victory of Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam over Ed Gillespie in the race to be Virginia’s next governor.

“I think there’s a great misnomer out there, and we’re only about twelve hours after the election, and that is Gillespie didn’t underperform, Northam overperformed,” O’Connell told The Hill.

O’Connell acknowledged Republicans should be nervous heading into the 2018 midterms, but added, “Democrats would be unwise to misinterpret the results.”

Veteran Democratic strategist Peter Fenn attributed Gillespie’s loss to the growing disenchantment with President Trump.

“Trump is growing more toxic by the day,” Fenn said. “When I was canvassing in Northern Virginia, I heard the antipathy toward Trump, and that carried over to local Republicans.”

While Fenn advised Democrats to continue taking Trump on and building an economic message, O’Connell urged Republicans to show some legislative achievements before next November.

O’Connell urged President Trump to “light a fire under the backside of Congress to get his agenda passed.”

Tags 2017 elections Donald Trump Ed Gillespie Ford O'Connell Peter Fenn Peter Fenn Ralph Northam