On the night of Nov. 4, Virginia elected their first female governor, New York elected their first Muslim mayor and New Jersey voters elected the same party for a third term in their governor’s race — all in the span of three hours.
The catch? All the candidates were from the Democratic Party. To some, it was a disturbance felt throughout GOP America. To others, it was a beacon of hope.
Either way, it’s a clear sign to President Donald Trump’s administration: public sentiment is changing, and not in his favor.
According to an NBC News poll, more voters say Trump has not lived up to their expectations on several major issues that propelled him back to the White House in 2024. Taking to the polls, voters cite a declining economy, rising cost of living, stripped protections of constitutional rights and more as their reasons for not choosing Trump-endorsed candidates.
On Wednesday morning, Trump told reporters during a breakfast with GOP lawmakers at the White House that election night on Tuesday “was not expected to be a victory,” saying the 36-day government shutdown and him not being on the ballot were two possible reasons.
“I don’t think it was good for Republicans,” Trump said of the election results. “I don’t think it’s good. I’m not sure it was good for anybody.”
Now, after a tense election season during the longest government shutdown, Democrats seem to have an early lead in the 2026 midterms, leaving many Republicans wondering what’s exactly at stake in next year’s battle for control of Congress.
Virginia
Virginian voters made history by electing the first women that will serve in the state’s top two positions – governor and lieutenant governor – at the same time.
From the very beginning of the polls opening yesterday morning, Democrat Abigail Spanberger led the race by a wide margin over Republican Winsome Earle-Sears. Spanberger’s race was one of the first ones called for the Democrats.
“Tonight, we sent a message,” Spanberger said in her victory speech in Richmond last night. “We sent a message to the whole world that in 2025, Virginia chose pragmatism over partisanship. We chose our Commonwealth over chaos.”
Spanberger, 47, centered her campaign heavily on economic and affordability issues, as well public safety and her support for abortion rights. Her campaign attacked Earle-Sears over her conservative record on social issues and her fealty to Trump.
Meanwhile, Earle-Sears acknowledged in her concession speech that many watching the race had long ago “counted me out” but that “we kept plugging and plugging.” She also said Spanberger “ran as a moderate.”
“If she governs as one, then she will unite us, and she’ll heal our divides and win our support,” Earle-Sears said.
Meanwhile in the lieutenant governor’s race, Democratic State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi easily defeated Republican conservative talk show host John Reid.
Hashmi is now the first Muslim lieutenant governor, the first Indian to hold statewide office in the commonwealth, and the first Muslim woman to win a statewide race in the entire country.
“This was possible,” she said in her victory speech, “because of the depth and breadth of the opportunities made available in this country and in this commonwealth.”
“This is clearly not the outcome that I had hoped for, that we had hoped for,” said Reid in his concession speech to his supporters, “but it’s one that I accept with gratitude, humility, and a deep sense of pride in what we all built together.”
Over in the attorney general’s race, Democrat Jay Jones managed to snag a win at the last moment, narrowly beating Republican incumbent Jason Miyares, the first Cuban-American in statewide office.
“I want to thank every Virginian tonight who’s placed their trust in me,” Jones said in his victory speech Tuesday evening. “The weight of that trust is not lost on me at all. Nor is the history that led us to this moment right here.”
“As the hallmark of our democracy, I wish Jay Jones the best in this job,” said Miyares in his concession speech. “I know given the circumstances of the last six weeks, many of my supporters will find that difficult, but the reason I wish Jay the best is because we, the people of Virginia, need it.”
To read more about voter reactions in Virginia, click here.
New York
After a triumphant campaign built on progressive ideas and a relentless focus on affordability, 34-year-old state lawmaker Zohran Mamdani became the first Muslim and person of South Asian descent — as well as the youngest in over a century — to be elected New York City mayor.
The Associated Press called the race just 35 minutes after polls closed, cementing a stunning upset that took root in June’s Democratic primary.
“The future is in our hands,” Mamdani declared to roaring applause Tuesday night at a victory celebration in Brooklyn. “My friends, tonight we have toppled a political dynasty.”
Mamdani defeated former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an Independent and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
At Cuomo’s watch party, the defeated candidate fought against boos from the crowd during his concession speech as he congratulated victorious Democrat Zohran Mamdani.
“That is not right, and that is not us,” he told supporters jeering at reference to Mamdani’s win during his Tuesday night speech in Midtown Manhattan.
“Tonight was their night. And as they start to transition to government, we will all help any way we can because we need our New York City government to work,” Cuomo added. “We want it to work for all New Yorkers because our city is the greatest city in the world. And we will unite for New York City because we love New York City.”
Meanwhile, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa used his concession speech to send a message to New York City’s next mayor, Zohran Mamdani.
“If you try to implement socialism,” Sliwa said, “we’re not only organizing, but we are mobilizing.”
New Jersey
Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill won the race for governor in New Jersey, becoming the first female Democratic governor in the state’s history.
Sherill defeated Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli, a former state assemblyman and Trump ally making his third run for governor, by a resounding 13 points with more than 95% of the vote counted, according to a tally by The Associated Press.
The race was largely defined by Trump, who made surprising inroads last November in New Jersey and who had endorsed Ciattarelli. But in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans by roughly 850,000 voters, the alliance always carried risk.
She is set to follow the term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, marking the first time a party has held the governor’s office in New Jersey for more than two full consecutive terms in the last 50 years.
“I know these are tough times. I know not everyone voted for me,” she said, noting the divisiveness of the campaign. “But I’m working for everyone. Every single one of you. When we all do better, we all do better. So tomorrow begins a new day.”
Mr. Ciattarelli, in a brief concession speech, told his supporters that “life is not always fair.”
“It is my hope that Mikie Sherrill has heard us in terms of what we need to do to make New Jersey that place where everybody can once again feel they can achieve their American dream,” Ciattarelli said in his concession speech.
California
California voters delivered a major victory for Democrats nationwide Tuesday – possibly for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s political ambitions – by passing a redistricting measure that could help the party seize as many as five congressional seats in the 2026 midterm elections.
Known as Proposition 50, the measure was launched in late August in an attempt to counter Trump’s successful attempt to pressure Republican-led states, most notably Texas, to gerrymander their own states to keep Democrats from gaining control of the U.S. House after the 2026 midterms
“After poking the bear, the bear roared,” said Newsom Tuesday night shortly after the polls closed and the Associated Press determined Proposition 50 had passed.
However, Newsom also cautioned Californians and Democrats across the country to not let down their guard, warning that Trump will continue to intimidate people by deploying ICE and the Border Patrol in cities and to try to gain more congressional seats in other red states. Trump early Tuesday morning claimed without evidence the vote was “rigged” and vowed a “legal and criminal review” of the election.
Meanwhile, Charles Munger Jr., the lead funder of the ‘No’ on Prop. 50 campaign, said he was saddened by the outcome but would keep working toward independent redistricting nationwide.
“I oppose partisan gerrymandering in any state, regardless of the party initiating it,” Munger said in a statement.
Story by Duvasana Bisoondial, video by Jose Carlos Rodriguez
