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Democrats claimed victory in a trio of high-stakes elections that largely centered on financial anxiousness and affordability points.
New Jersey Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill defeated Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli within the New Jersey governor’s race, whereas former Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger defeated Republican challenger Winsome Earle-Sears within the Virginia gubernatorial race. Within the Empire State, Socialist New York Metropolis mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani claimed victory over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an unbiased, and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
The three sweeps come as Republicans labored to make inroads within the traditionally liberal or left-leaning jurisdictions, together with campaigning on decreasing taxes.
In all three elections, the financial system and affordability have been high issues, in keeping with polling information, with the liberal candidates leaning into blaming the White Home for financial anxiousness.
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New York Metropolis Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani speaks throughout an interview on Fox Information’ “The Story with Martha MacCallum,” Oct. 15, 2025, in New York Metropolis. (Evan Agostini/Invision/The Related Press)
In New Jersey, voters reported that the state’s notoriously excessive taxes and the financial system have been their high points heading into the polling stations, in keeping with Fox Information Voter Ballot information. In Virginia, half of voters reported that the financial system was their high challenge, greater than double the quantity who reported healthcare as their high concern, in keeping with Fox polling information.
In New York Metropolis, affordability was by far voters’ high concern, in keeping with Fox Information Voter Ballot information, with Mamdani notching a major win over his challengers. Mamdani ran on insurance policies equivalent to city-run groceries to decrease meals prices, eliminating bus fares, implementing lease freezes on rent-stabilized models and different reasonably priced housing proposals.
Voters responded by voting for Democrats following President Donald Trump’s decisive win over former Vice President Kamala Harris simply greater than a yr in the past in a federal election that additionally centered on the financial system amid spiraling inflation woes.

Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger celebrates as she takes the stage throughout her election night time rally on the Larger Richmond Conference Middle Nov. 4, 2025. (Win McNamee/Getty Pictures)
Trump and different conservatives have railed in opposition to Mamdani as a “communist” who threatens New York Metropolis’s large financial system and a logo of American capitalism, whereas left-wing supporters have championed he’ll ease the associated fee burden on residents going through sky-high lease, taxes and meals prices.
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“Zohran Mamdani, a 100% Communist Lunatic, has simply received the Dem Major, and is on his strategy to changing into Mayor,” Trump wrote on Fact Social in June. “We’ve had Radical Lefties earlier than, however that is getting slightly ridiculous. He appears to be like TERRIBLE, his voice is grating, he’s not very good.”
The trio of high-profile Democrats who received their elections campaigned partly in opposition to Trump administration insurance policies and affordability woes.

Rep. Mikie Sherrill, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for New Jersey, checks-in to solid her poll at a polling location inside Hillside Elementary College in Montclair, New Jersey, Nov. 4, 2025. (John Lamparski/Bloomberg through Getty Pictures)
“Donald Trump must reply on to Virginians on why he’s actively slicing Virginia jobs and hurting the Virginia financial system,” Spanberger stated in October. “The Trump Administration has taken a sledgehammer strategy to governing that has harm Virginia’s staff, companies, and financial system.”
Sherrill pitched the present financial system as a “disaster,” together with claiming Trump’s tariffs could be disastrous.
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“Donald Trump simply carried out the largest tax improve in my lifetime — an financial disaster for New Jersey households,” Sherrill stated in April as Trump introduced elevated tariffs on overseas nations. “This can increase prices to the tune of virtually $4,000 per yr, and lots of corporations have already introduced layoffs. No surprise the Wall Road Journal referred to as it the ‘dumbest commerce struggle in historical past.'”
New Jersey, a traditionally deep blue state, was considered because the most probably to doubtlessly flip purple after the 2024 federal election confirmed Trump made inroads with Backyard State voters, together with flipping 5 counties to the GOP.

President Donald Trump speaks earlier than signing an govt order barring transgender feminine athletes from competing in ladies’s or ladies’ sporting occasions, within the East Room of the White Home, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Washington. (Alex Brandon/The Related Press)
Following Spanberger’s win Tuesday, she celebrated that she is going to reinvigorate the Previous Dominion State’s financial system.
“Virginia selected pragmatism over partisanship,” Spanberger stated. “We selected our commonwealth over chaos.”
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“You all selected management that may focus relentlessly on what issues most — decreasing prices, preserving our communities secure and strengthening our financial system for each Virginian,” she stated.
Trump responded to the Democrat wins Tuesday with a quote from pollsters that the continued authorities shutdown was partially as a result of Republican losses.
“‘TRUMP WASN’T ON THE BALLOT, AND SHUTDOWN, WERE THE TWO REASONS THAT REPUBLICANS LOST ELECTIONS TONIGHT,’ in keeping with Pollsters,” Trump posted on Fact Social.