Democrats notched major victories in Virginia and New Jersey’s gubernatorial races and New York City’s mayoral contest, wins that arrived as a federal government shutdown reached its 36th day — the longest in U.S. history. President Donald Trump and Republican allies partly blamed the funding lapse for the results.
Democrats posted strong results across the country on Nov. 4, 2025, in the first major elections of Trump’s second term. In Virginia and New Jersey, Democrats captured governorships by comfortable margins, while New York City elected a progressive Democrat as mayor in a high-turnout contest. The results landed amid a shutdown that reached Day 36 on Nov. 5, surpassing the 35-day record set in 2018–19. Trump used a White House breakfast with Republican senators to press for scrapping the Senate filibuster and said the shutdown hurt the GOP at the polls, a view echoed by some Republicans. (reuters.com)
Virginia: Former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle‑Sears by double digits, becoming the first woman elected governor of Virginia. In her victory speech, Spanberger told supporters that voters chose “leadership that will focus relentlessly on what matters most” — lowering costs, public safety and strengthening the economy — before pledging to govern pragmatically. (Quote excerpted from prepared remarks.) Democrats also expanded their House of Delegates majority to 64 seats, a net gain of 13. (abcnews.go.com)
New Jersey: Democratic U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill defeated Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who had Trump’s endorsement. In her remarks, Sherrill said “liberty alone is not enough if the government makes it impossible for you to feed your family,” and vowed to declare an emergency to halt utility rate hikes — underscoring an affordability-first message that dominated the race. (apnews.com)
New York City: Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist and state assemblymember from Queens, defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (running as an independent) and Republican Curtis Sliwa to become the city’s first Muslim and first South Asian mayor. Trump publicly urged New Yorkers to back Cuomo late in the race. In his victory speech, Mamdani declared, “New York will remain a city of immigrants... and, as of tonight, led by an immigrant,” and promised an agenda focused on rent freezes, free buses and universal childcare. Turnout topped 2 million — the highest since 1969. (en.wikipedia.org)
Down‑ballot: Democrats flipped two Georgia Public Service Commission seats, marking the party’s first statewide (non‑federal) wins there since 2006. (washingtonpost.com) In Mississippi, unofficial results indicate Democrats broke the GOP supermajority in the state Senate by flipping two districts. (wdam.com) Pennsylvania voters retained three Democratic‑elected justices to preserve the state Supreme Court’s 5‑2 balance. (inquirer.com)
California redistricting: Voters approved Proposition 50, adopting a new congressional map that could add up to five Democratic‑leaning U.S. House seats; Republicans immediately sued to block the plan. (apnews.com)
Shutdown backdrop: The federal government shutdown hit Day 36 on Nov. 5, the longest on record. Trump told Senate Republicans the shutdown was “a big factor” in GOP losses and urged eliminating the filibuster to pass priorities such as voter‑ID legislation; most Senate Republicans remain reluctant. (reuters.com)
Voters’ priorities: The AP Voter Poll found affordability and the economy topped voters’ concerns across the contests. Democrats performed especially well among non‑white voters in New Jersey and Virginia, while Republicans and Trump allies argued turnout was harder to sustain without Trump himself on the ballot. (apnews.com)
Taken together, the results gave Democrats momentum heading into the 2026 midterms, party officials said, even as final counts and certifications continue in some down‑ballot races. (reuters.com)