Dear Mr. Trump,

How like you to claim victory – and to claim responsibility for the victory – when by any objective measure the country turned against you and Republicans generally on Election Day.

Your party lost four of the Senate seats up for election in the so-called Rust Belt states that went your way in 2016. That’s a victory?

Your Senate candidates in Montana and West Virginia lost, even though you campaigned for them, even though you held rallies for them days before the election. That’s a victory?

Think of all the Republican incumbents who lost their races for the House. You call that success?

According to the New York Times – not failing, by the way – there was a swing of 30 Representatives to the Democratic side of the aisle. You call that success?

As many as 16% of all voters were first-time voters. They broke for the Democratic candidate 61% to 36%, according to MSNBC. They will be back and bring with them millions of additional first-time voters in 2020. That’s a victory?

Finally, consider all the very strong showings by potential Democratic candidates for president in 2020, well-liked politicians such as Sherrod Brown, Amy Klobuchar, and Kirsten Gillibrand, to mention just a few.

Keep dreaming of your supposed success, Mr. Trump. We’re not stopping here. We will build upon what we’ve already accomplished.

Very truly yours,

Bruce J. Berger