Although headlines will focus on Mamdani’s victory over Cuomo in the race for mayor of New York City, in practice the Democrats had an exceptional election night across the United States—with more than a few warning signs for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections in November 2026.
In Virginia, a state with a high concentration of federal employees who were severely harmed by measures taken against them by the Trump administration, the Democratic candidate for governor, Abigail Spanberger, won. In addition, the party secured most of the other prominent positions. In New Jersey, where Trump had exceptional gains in the last elections, the Democratic candidate for governor, Mikie Sherrill, won by a margin of about 13% despite polls indicating that Republicans were closing the gap. In California, Proposition 50 was approved, allowing redistricting before the next reapportionment cycle in 2030. This is an achievement expected to harm Republicans and is a response to Trump’s efforts to encourage Republican-controlled states, mainly Texas, to eliminate swing and Democratic-leaning districts in order to preserve the party’s narrow majority in the House of Representatives.
Alongside signs of eroding Republican support and declining belief in Trump’s agenda even in red districts previously considered safe, the likelihood of a Republican defeat in the House in the midterms rose significantly. In Maine, Republicans failed in an effort to pass a proposal that would restrict mail-in voting, a method perceived as more favorable to Democrats. In Pennsylvania, the Democrats succeeded in preserving their majority on the state’s Supreme Court—a move that will make it harder to advance attempts to change election laws to their detriment in this swing state.
Finally, one cannot overlook Mamdani’s victory. Even if many of his voters supported him out of disdain for his opponents or because of his municipal policy proposals, the very fact that a prominent candidate can win despite holding anti-Zionist positions is a reality that until recently would have been nearly unimaginable.
Although headlines will focus on Mamdani’s victory over Cuomo in the race for mayor of New York City, in practice the Democrats had an exceptional election night across the United States—with more than a few warning signs for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections in November 2026.
In Virginia, a state with a high concentration of federal employees who were severely harmed by measures taken against them by the Trump administration, the Democratic candidate for governor, Abigail Spanberger, won. In addition, the party secured most of the other prominent positions. In New Jersey, where Trump had exceptional gains in the last elections, the Democratic candidate for governor, Mikie Sherrill, won by a margin of about 13% despite polls indicating that Republicans were closing the gap. In California, Proposition 50 was approved, allowing redistricting before the next reapportionment cycle in 2030. This is an achievement expected to harm Republicans and is a response to Trump’s efforts to encourage Republican-controlled states, mainly Texas, to eliminate swing and Democratic-leaning districts in order to preserve the party’s narrow majority in the House of Representatives.
Alongside signs of eroding Republican support and declining belief in Trump’s agenda even in red districts previously considered safe, the likelihood of a Republican defeat in the House in the midterms rose significantly. In Maine, Republicans failed in an effort to pass a proposal that would restrict mail-in voting, a method perceived as more favorable to Democrats. In Pennsylvania, the Democrats succeeded in preserving their majority on the state’s Supreme Court—a move that will make it harder to advance attempts to change election laws to their detriment in this swing state.
Finally, one cannot overlook Mamdani’s victory. Even if many of his voters supported him out of disdain for his opponents or because of his municipal policy proposals, the very fact that a prominent candidate can win despite holding anti-Zionist positions is a reality that until recently would have been nearly unimaginable.