2025 U.S. Election Day Results
On Tuesday, November 4, 2025, Americans across the country turned out to vote in the first major election since the Trump administration took office in January. Democratic Party candidates saw success in many election races across the nation. What does this mean for both parties as we look ahead to the 2026 midterm elections? Here, Election Central takes a closer look at some key Election Night results and takeaways.
New Virginia and New Jersey Governors
Only two states had a governor’s race on the ballot, and in both, Democrats won. In Virginia, Democratic former Representative Abigail Spanberger beat Republican Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears. This was a history-making result as Spanberger will be Virginia’s first-ever female governor. She used to be a former CIA case officer who worked undercover overseas. President Trump supported Earle-Sears but his political endorsement was not decisive.
In the second governor’s race of the night, Democratic Representative Mikie Sherrill defeated Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli, who was also endorsed by the president. Sherrill also has a military background–she was an active-duty helicopter pilot for the Navy before running for Congress. Both women used their military experience to argue they would be tough on crime.
New York City’s New Mayor
Both Spanberger and Sherrill are more moderate Democrats who found ways to appeal to independent voters. Something very different happened in New York City’s race for mayor. At just 34 years old, Zohran Mamdani was elected as the youngest person–and the first Muslim–ever elected to serve as New York City mayor. Mamdani is a former state legislator and also a democratic socialist. (This puts Mamdani as a more liberal politician than most mainstream Democrats.) His ideas about solving economic inequality in the city helped generate the largest voter turnout for the city’s mayoral race in over thirty years. Mamdani’s main opponent was former Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent but was endorsed by President Trump.
Other Democratic Gains
Democratic Party candidates also enjoyed several significant wins in other states as well. In Pennsylvania, three Democrats won election to state supreme court justice seats. There were successful ballot issue wins in many communities that were Democratic Party targets. This included a measure in Colorado that raised taxes to fund school meal programs and food assistance programs for low-income residents. Also, in California, a ballot measure passed that will allow the Democratic state to re-draw its voting districts. This might give Democrats up to five more House seats in upcoming elections.
What Might This Mean for Midterm Elections?
Off-year elections, such as this year’s, can suggest the nation’s political “mood.” So, what trends can be taken away from these election results? Voter results suggest that the most important issue was the economy, and on that issue, they tend to side with Democrats. When running for president, Trump promised an economic improvement that has not happened. Voters seem concerned about affording their medical expenses and the rising cost of groceries.
President Trump also seems to be losing his popularity among independent voters. Poll results also show that Latino voters have turned away from Trump in this election. In 2024, Donald Trump won more Latino votes than any other Republican candidate in history. But Latino voters are concerned about the cost of living and the Trump administration’s actions on immigration.
It seems that the successful Democratic candidates appealed to voters on both sides of the political aisle by talking about the economy, specifically the rising costs of health care, energy, and food. Heading into the midterm elections in 2026, Democrats will have to decide whether it’s best to continue this approach or gamble on the perceived momentum and try for more dramatic goals.
What Do You Think? If you were a Republican candidate in the 2026 midterm elections, what would be your campaign strategy? Explain. If you were a Democratic candidate, what would your strategy be? Why do you think this would be the best approach?
