Key takeaways from Democrats’ strong election night

Democrats had a big night Tuesday and outperformed in races across the country. This hour, we’ll break down the results, and talk about the lessons learned for 2026.

Air Date: November 5, 2025

This combination of photos taken on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, shows Abigail Spanberger in Richmond, Va., left, Zohran Mamdani in New York, center, and Mikie Sherrill in East Brunswick, N.J. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, Yuki Iwamura and Matt Rourke)

The Democrats had a big night Tuesday. Democrat Mikie Sherril won the New Jersey Governor’s race, defeating Republican Jack Ciattarelli by a wide margin. In Pennsylvania, voters chose to retain the three democratic Supreme Court justices, maintaining the party’s majority on the commonwealth’s highest court. And in Philadelphia, District Attorney Larry Krasner won reelection against former judge Patrick Dugan.

Democrats also outperformed in races across the country. Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City; Abigail Spanberger clinched the Virginia governor’s race; and California voters passed Proposition 50, a democrat-backed redistricting measure expected to net the party more seats in Congress.

This off-year election was the first chance voters had to weigh in on President Donald Trump’s policies since his re-election and many analysts are saying the results are a clear rebuke. Exit polls showed that the economy and affordability were top concerns of voters.

This hour, we’ll break down the results, and talk about the lessons both parties might carry into the 2026 midterms.

Guests:

Kelly Dittmar, professor of political science, Rutgers University – Camden

Dan Hopkins, professor of political science, University of Pennsylvania

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