This is bad.

Bad for America and for the world.

Bad for women, for immigrants, for LGBTQ+ people and for all marginalized people.

Bad for the Democratic Party nationally.

But North Carolina proved that Democrats and progressives can win.

Good candidates who ran good campaigns won: Josh Stein, Rachel Hunt, Jeff Jackson, Mo Green and Elaine Marshall.

Despite the worst gerrymandering in the country, Democrats won a contested congressional seat and broke the supermajority in the House.

Nationally, Democrats are pointing fingers and forming a circular firing squad.

They’re even attacking the voters.

Going negative on your opponents can be a good strategy. Going negative on the voters never is.

Yes, Democrats need to think hard about where they go from here.

They should study what North Carolina Democrats did right.

If I’ve learned one thing from 48 years in politics, which began with Jim Hunt’s first campaign for governor in 1976, it’s that there are no final victories and no final defeats.

You ain’t beat unless you quit.

Don’t quit.

WCNC photo: Josh Stein victory speech.