Election 2025 key takeaways: Democrats score historic big wins leading into midterms

Tuesday nighttime was a acold outcry from the shell-shocked scenes successful Democrats' predetermination office a twelvemonth agone this November.

In 3 cardinal races, for Virginia governor, New Jersey politician and New York City mayor, the party's nominees drew successful immense numbers of the electorate by attacking President Donald Trump and offering plans to tackle what exit polls showed was voters' apical concern: affordability.

The Democratic wins travel arsenic Trump and Republicans person seen sinking support ratings 10 months into his 2nd term.

Voters capable retired their ballots astatine a polling presumption successful the Hillsboro Old Stone School connected November 4, 2025 successful Hillsboro, Virginia.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Here are immoderate of the cardinal takeaways from Tuesday's predetermination -- 1 twelvemonth to the 2026 midterms:

Democrats crook the tide

The nationalist spotlight was connected Abigail Spanberger successful Virginia, Mikie Sherrill, successful New Jersey and Zohran Mamdani successful New York City arsenic the archetypal existent tests for the Democrats aft the party's punishing decision successful the 2024 nationwide election.

Tuesday's results showed the enactment is connected the offensive, with each 3 candidates projected to people sizable wins implicit their opponents.

"We sent a connection to the full satellite that successful 2025, Virginia chose pragmatism implicit partisanship. We chose our commonwealth implicit chaos," Spanbrger said.

It's the economy, again

Preliminary exit canvass information compiled by ABC News successful the 3 races showed that the bulk of Americans were acrophobic astir the outgo of living.

Nearly fractional of Virginia voters said that the system was the astir important contented facing the commonwealth.

Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate, erstwhile Rep. Abigail Spanberger delivers remarks astatine her predetermination nighttime ticker party, November 4, 2025 successful Richmond, Virginia.

Alex Wong/Getty Images

In New Jersey, six successful 10 voters said that the system successful the authorities was doing "not truthful good" oregon "poor," portion astir 4 successful 10 said it was "excellent" oregon "good."

More than fractional of voters successful New York City said the outgo of surviving was the astir important contented they faced.

New York City Mayoral campaigner Zohran Mamdani speaks during an predetermination nighttime event, successful Brooklyn, New York City, November 4, 2025.

Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

Spanberger, Sherrill and Mamdani each campaigned with affordability arsenic the main focus.

Although each campaigner has antithetic proposals to little costs -- with Mamdani being the astir vocal with raising the taxation complaint connected the wealthiest to wage for services specified arsenic kid attraction -- voters successful immense numbers were attracted to their messages.

Voters are not blessed with the authorities of the country

Just arsenic with past year's elections, wherever astir each Democratic led authorities shifted red, voters appeared to privation alteration from the presumption quo.

Rep. Mikie Sherrill, Democratic gubernatorial campaigner for New Jersey, speaks connected signifier astatine her predetermination nighttime rally successful East Brunswick, New Jersey, November 4, 2025.

Mike Segar/Reuters

A ample bulk of voters who said they were aggravated supported Sherrill, saying they were unhappy with however things were going connected successful the country. New Jersey has ne'er elected a politician from the aforesaid enactment successful 3 cycles successful a row.

Record turnout helps propel Mamdani

More than 2 cardinal voters turned retired Tuesday successful New York City, the archetypal clip a mayoral predetermination crossed that threshold since 1969.

Mamdani collected implicit 1.03 cardinal votes arsenic of 10 p.m. Tuesday, which is larger than the colonisation of 5 states, according to U.S. Census figures.

The New York turnout mirrored the accrued turnout seen during an off-year election.

Historic wins for Muslim candidates

Mamdani and Virginia Lt. Gov.-elect Ghazala Hashmi some made past arsenic the archetypal Muslim Americans elected to their respective offices.

New York City Mayoral campaigner Zohran Mamdani celebrates during an predetermination nighttime lawsuit successful Brooklyn, New York City, November 4, 2025.

Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

Both had faced anti-Islamic attacks from their opponents and critics from astir the country.

Wins sends connection to Trump

Trump got indirectly progressive successful the 3 races, particularly New York City, arsenic helium tried to support and turn the GOP's power pursuing his win.

The president was peculiarly tied to the New Jersey contention arsenic Republican Jack Ciattarelli vocally embraced and welcomed Trump's support, contempt the president's debased support ratings.

Sherrill took respective opportunities to knock Trump portion looking to necktie the president and Ciattarelli tightly together. Mamdani and Spanberger besides tied their opponents to Trump's influence.

Mamdani besides addressed Trump straight during his triumph speech.

"I person 4 words for you, crook the measurement up," helium mayor-elect said to a roar of supporters' cheers.

The president reacted angrily to the wins connected societal media, arguing that the ongoing authorities shutdown and the information that helium was not connected the ballot arsenic the reasons Republicans lost.