Democrats sweep key U.S. elections in major rebuke to Trump

Democrats scored significant victories across multiple high-profile races in the United States on Tuesday, in what party leaders are calling a clear rejection of  President Donald Trump’s political influence.

In New York, Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim and self-identified democratic socialist, is projected by NBC News to become the next Mayor of New York City – a landmark win in one of the country’s largest and most influential cities.

In Virginia, Democrat Abigail Spanberger is projected to become the state’s first female governor, while fellow Democrat Jay Jones defeated incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares, flipping a key statewide office.

On the West Coast, California voters approved Proposition 50, a constitutional amendment permitting the state to adopt a new congressional map that is expected to benefit Democrats in future U.S. House races.

Meanwhile in Pennsylvania, voters re-elected three Democratic justices to the state Supreme Court, maintaining the party’s 5–2 majority on the powerful judicial bench.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer celebrated the results as evidence that American voters are rejecting Trump’s brand of politics.

“Tonight’s results are a repudiation of the Trump agenda,” Schumer said in a statement, criticizing what he described as the “cruelty, chaos, and greed” of the MAGA movement. “America is choosing stability, progress, and a better future.”

Trump, responding on social media, claimed the Republican losses were due to his absence from ballots and the ongoing federal government shutdown that began October 1.

One of the night’s more surprising results came from Virginia, where Jay Jones’ projected victory defied expectations. Jones’ campaign faced uncertainty late in the race following the release of 2022 text messages in which he fantasized about shooting former Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert. However, the messages did not stop Virginia voters from backing him.

The sweeping wins give Democrats considerable momentum heading into the next phase of national political battles, and intensify pressure within the Republican Party over its continued loyalty to Trump.