President Donald Trump lost big in Tuesday’s elections, as voters rejected candidates he endorsed and causes he championed around the country.
In the first major elections of Trump’s second term, his unpopularity proved a drag on Republican nominees, a sign of potential trouble for the GOP in next year’s midterms.
Two Democrats who won governors races, meantime, were both first elected to the House in the 2018 midterm elections during Trump’s first term.
Here’s a look at what happened in seven key races:
Virginia governor
Who won: Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a centrist former House member, defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears by double digits.
Why it mattered: Spanberger first won a House seat in 2018 by running against Trump and she repeated that campaign tactic, tying Earle-Sears to his policies whenever possible.
What she said: In her victory speech, Spanberger criticized the federal government shutdown. “Virginia’s economy doesn’t work when Washington treats our Virginia workers as expendable,” she said. “And to those across the Potomac who are attacking our jobs and our economy, I will not stand by silently.”
New York City mayor
Who won: Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani beat former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (running as an independent) by nine points, while Republican Curtis Sliwa came in a distant third.
Why it mattered: Trump repeatedly singled out Mamdani for criticism, threatening to withhold federal funding from the city if he won and urging voters to back Cuomo. Mamdani called himself “Donald Trump’s worst nightmare” and pledged to fight him on key issues.
What he said: “In this moment of political darkness, New York will be the light. Here, we believe in standing up for those we love, whether you are an immigrant, a member of the trans community, one of the many Black women that Donald Trump has fired from a federal job, a single mom still waiting for the cost of groceries to go down or anyone else with their back against the wall, your struggle is ours too.. We can respond to oligarchy and authoritarianism with the strength it fears, not the appeasement it craves. After all, if anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him. … So Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up.”
New Jersey governor
Who won: Democrat Mikie Sherrill, who also first won a House seat in the 2018 midterms, defeated Republican Jack Ciattarelli by double digits.
Why it mattered: Ciattarelli, who narrowly lost a governor’s race four years ago after keeping his distance from Trump, ran with his full endorsement this time. Sherrill, meantime, tied him to Trump’s handling of the economy and the recent SNAP food aid cuts, among other things.
What she said: “As the president is backing away from this ideal, cutting SNAP, ripping away health care, terminating Gateway, we here in New Jersey are bound to fight for a different future for our children,” she said. “We see how clearly important liberty is. We know that no one in our great state is safe when our neighbors are targeted, ignoring the law and the Constitution.”
California’s Proposition 50
What happened: A ballot measure backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to adopt a Democratic redistricting plan as a counter to Republican attempts to gerrymander other states passed resoundingly.
Why it mattered: The measure will allow California to redraw its maps to offset the Texas redistricting passed earlier this year, helping Democrats stay competitive in next year’s midterms.
What they said: “What a night for the Democratic Party — a party that is in its ascendancy, a party that’s on its toes, no longer on its heels,” Newsom said.
What happened: A conservative-backed ballot measure to add new restrictions on voting by mail and require photo ID before casting a ballot, among other changes, lost by double digits. Why it mattered: The measure was the latest attempt to impose more stringent requirements on voting, echoing many of the changes that Trump has called for since losing in 2020. These restrictions have tended to fare poorly on the ballot, however, as voters like voting. What they said: “Maine voters know that our elections are safe and secure, and they sent a loud message today that they will fight to protect voting rights,” David Farmer, campaign manager for the group Save Maine Absentee Voting, said in a statement. What happened: Three Democratic justices on the state Supreme Court won retention votes by double digits after an unusually aggressive Republican campaign to unseat them. Why it mattered: Democrats will likely still have a majority on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court during the 2028 presidential election, when they might be called on to resolve election-related lawsuits. Two of the justices won 10-year terms, while the third will serve until she turns 75 in 2027, the state’s mandatory retirement age for justices. What they said: “I’m really honored that the people showed this confidence in me,” Justice David Wecht told NBC News. “I intend to serve the people with fidelity.” What happened: Democratic Mayor Aftab Pureval overwhelmingly defeated Republican Cory Bowman in the race, which is technically for a nonpartisan post. Why it mattered: Bowman is Vice President JD Vance’s half-brother and said he was inspired to run when he was attending the inauguration. What they said: Pureval said Bowman called to concede even before the race was called and was “very classy.” He said he offered him an opportunity to work together, which Bowman said he would accept. Subscribe to the Project 47 newsletter to receive weekly updates on and expert insight into the key issues and figures defining Trump’s second term.
Ryan Teague Beckwith is a newsletter editor for MS NOW. He has previously worked for such outlets as Time magazine and Bloomberg News. He teaches journalism at Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies and is the creator of Your First Byline. 
Maine’s Question 1
Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court
Cincinnati Mayor
