Pat Ryan Says Election Results Demand a Fight With Corporate Power

Ryan, who represents New York’s 18th Congressional District, argued that the political and economic system favors the top 1% over ordinary Americans. He pointed to what he described as AI oligarchs receiving tax breaks, UnitedHealth denying claims while policyholders face bankruptcy, and Elon Musk spending $750 million to influence elections while receiving billions in government contracts.

Voters, Ryan said, want control over their lives and elected officials who work for them rather than the ultra-rich. He urged Democrats who won across the country to go beyond lowering costs and “fundamentally fix this broken system,” taking on what he called corrupt politicians and greedy CEOs.

Ryan’s argument echoes a report published Thursday by Data for Progress, which said populist economic appeals were central to Democrats’ Tuesday success. The report also found robust voter support for higher taxes on millionaires, a $15-an-hour minimum wage and a temporary moratorium on new artificial-intelligence data centers.