Overview
- Democrats captured the Virginia and New Jersey governorships by double-digit margins after campaigns centered on cost of living.
- New York City elected Zohran Mamdani, a progressive and the city’s first Muslim mayor, defeating Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent.
- California voters approved Proposition 50 to redraw the congressional map in Democrats’ favor, a shift party leaders say could net roughly five House seats next year.
- Exit polls showed independents and younger voters swinging toward Democrats as Republicans struggled without President Trump on the ballot, with some in the GOP blaming the record shutdown.
- Beyond the headline contests, Democrats posted gains in Pennsylvania and Georgia, though analysts note the party’s brand remains weak nationally even as the House looks competitive in 2026.