Washington, Nov 5 — As Democrats recorded sweeping victories in key state elections across Virginia, New Jersey, and New York, former US President Donald Trump attributed the Republican Party’s losses to two main factors his absence from the ballot and the political fallout of the recent government shutdown.
Taking to Truth Social, Trump said pollsters believe the GOP’s disappointing performance in the latest elections stemmed from these reasons. “Pollsters are saying that the two biggest factors in Republican losses were: Trump not being on the ballot, and the negative impact of the recent government shutdown,” he wrote.
In New York City, Democrat Zohran Mamdani secured a historic win, becoming the first millennial and first Muslim to be elected as Mayor. The 34-year-old democratic socialist defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo who ran as an independent after losing the Democratic primary and Republican Curtis Sliwa, marking a major political shift in the city’s leadership.
In Virginia, Democrat Abigail Spanberger made history as the first woman to be elected Governor of the Commonwealth, while Indian origin Democrat Ghazala Hashmi won the Lieutenant Governor’s race, defeating Republican John Reid. Hashmi, who earlier became the first Muslim and South Asian American in the Virginia Senate, will now vacate her seat for a special election.
In New Jersey, Democrat Mikie Sherrill triumphed in the governor’s race against Trump backed Republican Jack Ciattarelli, marking the first time since the 1960s that Democrats have secured three consecutive gubernatorial terms in the state.
The results collectively underscore a resurgence of Democratic strength ahead of the 2026 midterms, even as Trump continues to dominate Republican political narratives from outside the ballot.