The results are in: 2025’s biggest winner and losers from the off-year elections
The 2025 off-year election cycle has come to a close, with Democrats emerging victorious in a handful of high-profile elections. The election season was much more muted compared to 2024’s wild federal election that delivered President Donald Trump a victory over then-Vice President Kamala Harris, with 2025 spotlighting the mayoral election in New York City, and a pair of gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey. Fox News Digital compiled Election Day 2025’s biggest winners and losers following months of campaigning on top voter concerns, namely affordability and the economy. WHAT THE RESULTS OF THE 2025 ELECTIONS MAY MEAN FOR DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS Following 2024’s federal election that left the Democratic Party working to find its footing after Harris’ loss, Democrats now have New Jersey Rep. Mikie Sherrill and former Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger ascending as the top leaders of their respective states, broadening the party’s pool of leaders with new roles. New Jersey Democrats were on the edge of their seats in the deep blue state after Trump made inroads with voters during the 2024 election, teeing up what Republicans saw as the opening to potentially flipping the state. Democrats, however, held their ground in the historically blue state with Sherrill defeating Trump-backed Republican Jack Ciattarelli. “This was a tough fight and this is a tough state,” Sherrill said in her victory speech. “But I know you, New Jersey. I have fought for you. I’ve spoken with thousands of you over this last year. I know your struggles, your hopes, and your dreams.” Spanberger notched a victory over Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears just roughly an hour after polls closed in the Old Dominion State. “We sent a message to every corner of the commonwealth,” Spanberger said in her acceptance speech. “A message to our neighbors and our fellow Americans across the country. We sent a message to the whole world that in 2025, Virginia chose pragmatism over partisanship. We chose our commonwealth over chaos. You all chose leadership that will focus relentlessly on what matters most: lowering costs, keeping our communities safe and strengthening our economy.” THE TRUE COST OF THE 2025 ELECTIONS Upon her inauguration in January, Spanberger will become the first female governor of Virginia. The pair were viewed as potential new leaders of the Democratic Party as they worked to secure their gubernatorial wins. Now, they will head to their respective state Capitols armed with years of congressional know-how and an opportunity to better cement their leadership within the party. Socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani, who ran as a Democrat, secured his win as the Big Apple’s next mayor in an election expected to deliver him favorable results as he ran against former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo — who was forced to run as an independent after losing the Democratic primary to Mamdani in June — and Republican Curtis Sliwa. “My friends, we have toppled a political dynasty,” Mamdani said in his victory speech. “New York, tonight you have delivered a mandate for change,” he added. “A mandate for a new kind of politics. A mandate for a city we can afford. And a mandate for a government that delivers exactly that.” MEET THE CANDIDATES AIMING TO MAKE HISTORY IN THE 2025 ELECTIONS The election notched a massive win for the left-wing faction of the Democratic Party. Mamdani was a relatively unknown state assembly member and democratic socialist who ascended the political ladder amid his primary campaign. He championed progressive plans for the city, such as freezing stabilized rents, increasing the city’s minimum wage and canceling fares for bus rides. The race earned national coverage as conservatives slammed the socialist candidate as a threat to the city’s massive economy and status as America’s de facto symbol of capitalism, and warned he holds antisemitic views in a city with a massive Jewish population. Other socialist candidates also have made big waves this cycle, including in Minneapolis, where left-wing candidate Omar Fateh has been described as the “Mamdani of Minneapolis.” The mayor’s race advanced to ranked-choice voting on Tuesday after none of the candidates received at least 50% of the vote. Minneapolis allows voters to rank up to three candidates in its municipal races. Incumbent Democrat Mayor Jacob Frey and Fateh received the most first-choice results, Fox News reported. Long before Election Day, President Donald Trump made clear he was no fan of New York City’s Mamdani, teeing up an expected political battle between the pair for the foreseeable future. Trump is famous for his long-running political spats with Democratic foes, such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Sen. Adam Schiff, frequently spotlighting the opponents as examples as to why Democratic policies fail while championing his MAGA approach. Now, Trump likely has another long-standing political foe as he continues his ongoing campaign against socialism and antisemitism. “Zohran Mamdani, a 100% Communist Lunatic, has just won the Dem Primary, and is on his way to becoming Mayor,” Trump wrote on Truth Social in June. “We’ve had Radical Lefties before, but this is getting a little ridiculous. He looks TERRIBLE, his voice is grating, he’s not very smart.” “Any Jewish person that votes for Zohran Mamdani, a proven and self professed JEW HATER, is a stupid person!!!” the president claimed in a Truth Social post on Tuesday. Mamdani is Muslim and has been accused of holding antisemitic views, including for declining to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada.” The democratic socialist, however, has denied the claims and vowed to “do everything in my power to protect Jewish New Yorkers.” EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ELECTION DAY 2025: CRITICAL ELECTIONS, BALLOT MEASURES AND MORE Republican candidates across the board in the handful of high-profile elections failed to rally enough support for their tickets, handing Democrats massive wins from the Virginia attorney general race to the party retaining control of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The election cycle focused on the New York City mayoral race, and the pair of gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia, where Democrats
Maine voters defeat voter ID ballot initiative, approve ‘red flag’ gun restrictions
Maine voters defeated a voter ID ballot initiative and approved “red flag” gun restrictions in Tuesday’s off-year election. The voter ID and absentee ballot initiative, referred to as “Question 1,” was resoundingly rejected by voters and projected to fail shortly after polls in the state closed. “Question 1” would have required voters to present a photo ID for both in-person and absentee voting. It would also have imposed limits on the number of election drop boxes to one per municipality and required absentee voters to submit a written application before each election, according to The Associated Press. Alex Titcomb, an advocate for the “Yes on 1” campaign, and Maine state Rep. Laurel Libby told The Portland Press Herald that Maine’s Secretary of State Shenna Bellows “used her powerful position to weaponize the ballot question.” FIRST TIME VOTING? HERE IS THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BALLOT BOXES, CRITICAL ISSUES ON ELECTION DAY “Ultimately, Maine voters did not have the opportunity to vote on Voter ID. The opposition claimed that Question 1 would get rid of absentee voting, and centered their campaign on that fiction. Instead of honestly debating the merits of Voter ID, they spread lies and fear, convincing voters to vote against their own interests,” they said. Opponents of “Question 1” believed it would limit voting access. Ken Martin, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, said on his X account that the results were a “major win for all Mainers.” “The DNC was proud to support efforts to ensure Mainers have access to the ballot box, including absentee voting,” Martin wrote. Maine voters also resoundingly supported “Question 2,” which would enact an extreme protection order law, commonly referred to as a “red flag” law. It prohibits the “purchase, possession or control of a dangerous weapon” if a person is suspected of “posing a significant danger of causing physical injury to the person or to another person,” according to Maine’s election guide released by Bellows. Maine already has a “yellow flag” law that requires law enforcement to first take a person into protective custody if they are believed to be a danger to themselves or others. The person must then undergo a mental health evaluation before a judge can order the temporary removal of their firearms.
Fox News Voter Poll — Change candidate Mamdani defeats legacy political figures
Democrat Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayoral election, securing broad swaths of the electorate and defeating independent candidate Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. His campaign for a new direction was the answer many New Yorkers were searching for. Preliminary results from The Fox News Voter Poll, a survey of more than 4,700 registered voters in the city, shows that Mamdani’s road to victory was aided by a young, racially diverse coalition of New Yorkers. He won most demographic groups by a wide margin. Mamdani, who will be one of New York’s youngest mayors, benefited from a strong coalition of young voters. Three-quarters of voters under age 30 voted for the Democrat, while older voters, namely seniors, broke for Cuomo by double digits. ZOHRAN MAMDANI STUNS NYC AS VOTERS HAND POWER TO DEMOCRATS’ FAR-LEFT FLANK Voters under 30 had the most intense support for the Democratic candidate, with over three-quarters supporting him. Mamdani was the favored candidate across all racial groups, performing best among Black and Asian voters. The race was closer among Hispanic voters, who ultimately broke for Mamdani by single digits. Cuomo lost White voters by a small margin, while a boost in support from White male voters helped him remain competitive. Mamdani was also favored among voters with college degrees, while voters without college degrees went for Cuomo. FOX NEWS POLL: HOW SPANBERGER WON VIRGINIA GOVERNOR Two thirds of Democrats sided with Mamdani over Cuomo, while just 3 in 10 Democrats voted for the former Democratic governor. After President Donald Trump gave a last-minute endorsement of Andrew Cuomo, 7 in 10 Republicans voted for the independent candidate rather than their own party nominee, Curtis Sliwa, who earned the support from about a quarter of his party. The largest portion of independents supported Cuomo, while a smaller number supported Mamdani. Around a quarter of New York City voters would describe themselves as a democratic socialist. Among Democrats, that number jumps to nearly 4 in 10. By wide margins, these voters back the self-described democratic socialist. Among New York City Republicans, about half identified as MAGA. They split their vote between Sliwa and Cuomo, with about two-thirds favoring the independent. Jewish voters backed Cuomo by a nearly two-to-one margin. Among this key voting bloc, there was a clear generational divide: about half of Jewish voters under 45 supported Mamdani while about 7 in 10 of those over 45 supported Cuomo. Cuomo also maintained winning margins among Catholics and other Christian voters. Mamdani, who will become the first Muslim mayor of New York City, won the majority of Muslims, non-religious voters and Protestants. Most New York voters felt the candidates’ positions on Israel were at least a minor factor in deciding their vote for mayor. Those who said it was a major factor in their vote were evenly split, while those who felt it was only a minor factor preferred Mamdani. Israel was a major factor in the vote for about half of Jewish voters, who overwhelmingly broke for Cuomo. In a hypothetical two-way matchup between Mamdani and Cuomo, voters split their support between the two leading candidates, with Mamdani still receiving a higher share than Cuomo, albeit by a smaller margin. But voter excitement for Mamdani was decisive – most of his supporters said their vote was for him rather than against his opponents. Cuomo supporters were split: slightly more said their vote was against his opponents than for him. Sliwa supporters were particularly enthusiastic about their candidate: three quarters of his supporters said their vote was for the Republican. Among voters who made their decision in the past week, Cuomo held a double-digit lead over Mamdani. For those who have known before October or earlier, Mamdani was their favored candidate. Despite national attention in the election, local issues drove most voters, not national figures: about two-thirds said President Donald Trump was not a factor in their vote, while about 3 in 10 said their vote was in opposition to Trump. Most New York City voters disapprove of the job he is doing as president. HOUSE REPUBLICANS LINK MAYOR-ELECT MAMDANI TO VULNERABLE CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS In a city with three times as many Democrats as Republicans, Democrats were viewed favorably by just over half of voters. Results by party show there are some growing pains among Democrats. A sizable number – about 1 in 4 – view their own party unfavorably. The Republican Party is viewed unfavorably by about two-thirds of voters overall. First-time voters made up over 15% of the city’s electorate and overwhelmingly favored Mamdani. He also received majority support from non-native New Yorkers, while those who were born and raised in the city backed the former governor. Affordability was a defining issue in this race. Roughly 6 in 10 voters identified the cost of living as the most important issue facing the city, followed at a distance by crime. Voters prioritizing the cost of living went for Mamdani, while crime-concerned voters backed Cuomo. Against this backdrop of rising costs, economic sentiment leaned decidedly negative, with most describing the city’s economy as not so good or poor. Voters with a negative outlook split their support among Mamdani and Cuomo and those with a positive view preferred Mamdani. In terms of their own economic situation, the bulk of voters said they were holding steady. These voters gave about equal shares of their vote to Mamdani and Cuomo. For the remaining portion who are falling behind, Mamdani was again the candidate of choice. Closely entwined with affordability concerns, over 8 in 10 voters said the cost of housing where they live was at least a minor problem, including roughly 7 in 10 who described it as a major problem. After running on a platform prioritizing affordability and rent stabilization, Mamdani received the majority of voters who feel housing is a problem. About 6 in 10 New York City voters are renters, and this group backed Mamdani by substantive margins. For the other 4 in 10
Trump says election results not good for Republicans, citing 2 possible reasons
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday morning that the ongoing government shutdown was partly to blame for Republican losses on Election Day. Trump told reporters during a breakfast with GOP lawmakers at the White House that election night on Tuesday “was not expected to be a victory,” saying the 36-day government shutdown was one of two possible reasons. “I think, if you read the pollsters, the shutdown was a big factor,” Trump said. “Negative for the Republicans, and that was a big factor.” Trump added: “And they say that I wasn’t on the ballot and was the biggest factor. But I don’t know about that. But I was honored that they said that.” FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB: SEE ALL THE 2025 RESULTS His remarks come after Democrats won resoundingly in multiple states on Tuesday, with exit polls showing economic worries were very much on the minds of voters. “I don’t think it was good for Republicans,” Trump said of the election results. “I don’t think it’s good. I’m not sure it was good for anybody.” Some major losses for Republicans included the New York City mayoral race, and contests for governor in New Jersey and Virginia. Democrats also secured another expected win in California, where voters approved a new congressional map that is designed to help their party win five more U.S. House seats in next year’s midterm elections. On the morning following the defeats, Trump called on lawmakers to bring the 36-day government shutdown, now the longest on record, to an end. GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN 101: WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE, HERE’S WHAT HAPPENS NEXT “We must get the government open,” Trump said, going on to push Republican senators to end the filibuster. “It’s time for Republicans to do what they have to do,” he said. “Terminate the filibuster.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ramaswamy lists ‘key lessons’ for GOP after electoral blowout: ‘We got our a–es handed to us’
Following a night of Democratic electoral victories in New York City, Virginia, New Jersey, California and elsewhere, one-time GOP presidential candidate and former DOGE chief Vivek Ramaswamy admitted, “We got our a–es handed to us.” Ramaswamy, who is running for Ohio governor, said there are two “key lessons” for Republicans to take away from the Election Day blowout. “We got our a–es handed to us in New Jersey, Virginia and New York City. Democrats swept all three,” said Ramaswamy. “There’s two key lessons for Republicans, listen carefully,” he went on. OHIO DONORS DITCH TIM RYAN, POUR NEARLY $220K INTO VIVEK RAMASWAMY’S GOVERNOR BID In light of the GOP’s crushing defeats Tuesday night, Ramaswamy said that Republicans need to focus their messaging on affordability and avoid playing into “identity politics.” “Our side needs to focus on affordability. Make the American dream affordable, bring down costs: electric costs, grocery costs, healthcare costs and housing costs. And lay out how we’re going to do it,” he said. “Number two, cut out the identity politics, it doesn’t suit Republicans, it’s not for us, that’s the woke left’s game, not ours,” Ramaswamy went on. “We don’t care about the color of your skin or your religion. We care about the content of your character, that’s who we are,” he said. TRUMP IGNORES ELECTIONS AS DEMOCRATS STUMBLE ON THE WAY TO LIKELY VICTORIES Republicans suffered decisive defeats in several key races across the country on Tuesday night. This came despite several of the Democratic candidates being wrapped in controversy and scandal. In Virginia, Democrat Jay Jones successfully unseated Republican incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares. Just weeks before Election Day, Jones had to apologize for resurfaced text messages he sent a colleague in which he fantasized about putting “two bullets” in the head of a Republican opponent. Jones also sent messages voicing that he believed the Republican’s “fascist” children should die. In New Jersey, now Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill was also caught up in controversy over her alleged role in a massive cheating scandal during her time at the U.S. Naval Academy. Sherrill was not accused of cheating. However, she said she was kept from participating in her commencement because she refused to divulge information on some of those involved. A former classmate of Sherrill’s, meanwhile, suggested that she was not being honest about the extent of her involvement in the scandal. TRUMP REACTS TO DEMOCRATIC VICTORIES, SUGGESTS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IS TO BLAME Ramaswamy left Ohio for short stints in recent weeks to stump for now-defeated GOP gubernatorial candidates Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in Virginia and Jack Ciattarelli in New Jersey. At the time, Ramaswamy said GOP victories in both elections would “set the table for even bigger and more decisive victories, hopefully in places like Ohio next year.”
Charlotte mayor wins landslide reelection despite controversy over Iryna Zarutska’s slaying
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, a Democrat, cruised to re-election Tuesday, capturing more than 70% of the vote over Republican challenger Terrie Donovan, with nearly all ballots counted, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections. The result extends Democrats’ long dominance in North Carolina’s largest city, which hasn’t elected a Republican mayor since former Gov. Pat McCrory left office in 2009, according to WFAE. Lyles’ decisive win comes despite the controversy surrounding the August murder of Iryna Zarutska on the city’s Lynx Blue Line train. Zarutska, 23, a Ukrainian refugee, was sitting on the train after her work shift when she was randomly and violently stabbed to death. Video of her killing went viral and reignited debate about public safety in Charlotte. CHARLOTTE’S ‘PRO-CRIME’ POLICIES UNDER FIRE AS CAREER CRIMINAL CHARGED WITH KILLING COMMUTER: EXPERT Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, a man with a long criminal record and more than a dozen arrests, was charged with her murder. After the attack, Lyles emphasized the suspect’s mental health issues and homelessness rather than his criminal history. Republicans said the remarks showed that the mayor and other Democrats are too lenient toward repeat offenders. In a statement after the Aug. 22 killing and Brown’s arrest, Lyles said: “Tragic incidents like these should force us to look at what we are doing across our community to address root causes.” “We will never arrest our way out of issues such as homelessness and mental health,” she wrote, according to The Associated Press. CHARLOTTE MAYOR SCORES PRIMARY RE-ELECTION VICTORY AMID NATIONAL BACKLASH OVER GRUESOME TRAIN MURDER Lyles later acknowledged that she “wished that she had addressed the community… much sooner,” according to WBTV. The mayor also faced criticism over a $305,000 separation package paid to outgoing Charlotte Police Chief Johnny Jennings, which drew a state audit for its alleged lack of transparency and use of public funds. Along with her re-election, Lyles scored another victory Tuesday as voters approved a transportation sales tax she had championed for years to fund billions in road, bus and rail projects. She previously won re-election in 2023 with 74% of the vote. Four Democrat incumbents also won the City Council’s four at-large seats. Donovan, a real estate agent, had made crime her top issue even before the killing. Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Economic anxiety keys Dem sweep in high-stakes races as left leverages voter frustration
Democrats claimed victory in a trio of high-stakes elections that largely focused on economic anxiety and affordability issues. New Jersey Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill defeated Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli in the New Jersey governor’s race, while former Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger defeated Republican challenger Winsome Earle-Sears in the Virginia gubernatorial race. In the Empire State, Democratic Socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani claimed victory over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an Independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa. The three sweeps come as Republicans worked to make inroads in the historically liberal or left-leaning jurisdictions, including campaigning on lowering taxes. In all three elections, the economy and affordability were top concerns, according to polling data, with the liberal candidates leaning into blaming the White House for economic anxiety. TRUMP LOOMS LARGE OVER KEY ELECTION DAY 2025 CONTESTS DESPITE NOT BEING ON BALLOT In New Jersey, voters reported that the state’s notoriously high taxes and the economy were their top issues heading into the polling stations, according to Fox News Voter Poll data. In Virginia, half of voters reported that the economy was their top issue, more than double the number who reported healthcare as their top concern, according to Fox polling data. In New York City, affordability was by far voters’ top concern, according to Fox News Voter Poll data, with Mamdani notching a significant win over his challengers. Mamdani ran on policies such as city-run groceries to lower food costs, eliminating bus fares, implementing rent freezes on rent-stabilized units and other affordable housing proposals. Voters responded by voting for Democrats following President Donald Trump‘s decisive win over former Vice President Kamala Harris just more than a year ago in a federal election that also focused on the economy amid spiraling inflation woes. Trump and other conservatives have railed against Mamdani as a “communist” who threatens New York City’s massive economy and a symbol of American capitalism, while left-wing supporters have championed he will ease the cost burden on residents facing sky-high rent, taxes and food costs. TRUMP IGNORES ELECTIONS AS DEMOCRATS STUMBLE ON THE WAY TO LIKELY VICTORIES “Zohran Mamdani, a 100% Communist Lunatic, has just won the Dem Primary, and is on his way to becoming Mayor,” Trump wrote on Truth Social in June. “We’ve had Radical Lefties before, but this is getting a little ridiculous. He looks TERRIBLE, his voice is grating, he’s not very smart.” The trio of high-profile Democrats who won their elections campaigned in part against Trump administration policies and affordability woes. “Donald Trump needs to answer directly to Virginians on why he is actively cutting Virginia jobs and hurting the Virginia economy,” Spanberger said in October. “The Trump Administration has taken a sledgehammer approach to governing that has hurt Virginia’s workers, businesses, and economy.” Sherrill pitched the current economy as a “catastrophe,” including claiming Trump’s tariffs would be disastrous. DEMOCRAT IN KEY GOVERNOR RACE KEEPS DISTANCE FROM NYC’S MAMDANI “Donald Trump just implemented the biggest tax increase in my lifetime — an economic catastrophe for New Jersey families,” Sherrill said in April as Trump announced increased tariffs on foreign nations. “This will raise costs to the tune of almost $4,000 per year, and many companies have already announced layoffs. No wonder the Wall Street Journal called it the ‘dumbest trade war in history.’” New Jersey, a historically deep blue state, was viewed as the most likely to potentially flip red after the 2024 federal election showed Trump made inroads with Garden State voters, including flipping five counties to the GOP. Following Spanberger’s win Tuesday, she celebrated that she would reinvigorate the Old Dominion state’s economy. “Virginia chose pragmatism over partisanship,” Spanberger said. “We chose our commonwealth over chaos.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “You all chose leadership that will focus relentlessly on what matters most — lowering costs, keeping our communities safe and strengthening our economy for every Virginian,” she said. Trump responded to the Democrat wins Tuesday with a quote from pollsters that the ongoing government shutdown was partially due to the Republican losses. “‘TRUMP WASN’T ON THE BALLOT, AND SHUTDOWN, WERE THE TWO REASONS THAT REPUBLICANS LOST ELECTIONS TONIGHT,’ according to Pollsters,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Minneapolis mayor’s race advances to ranked choice voting after no candidate reaches 50%
The Minneapolis mayor’s race will advance to ranked choice voting after none of the candidates received at least 50% of the vote in Tuesday’s election, The Associated Press has reported. Minneapolis allows voters to rank up to three candidates in its municipal races. The field for mayor included more than a dozen candidates. As of 10:41 p.m. EST Tuesday, Jacob Frey and Omar Fateh had received the most first-choice results. Fateh made waves on the national political stage this year, drawing comparisons to Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign in New York City after The Minnesota Star Tribune dubbed him the “Mamdani of Minneapolis.” The 35-year-old son of Somali immigrants who became the first Somali-American elected to the Minnesota state Senate in 2020 challenged incumbent Frey head-on this year, criticizing the comparatively moderate Democrat for failing to “meet the needs of our changing society.” ILHAN OMAR ERUPTS AT OWN PARTY FOR RENEGING ON SOCIALIST CANDIDATE’S ENDORSEMENT: ‘INEXCUSABLE’ Fateh was endorsed by Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor party this summer, the first endorsement of a Minneapolis mayoral candidate in 16 years, before DFL Chairman Richard Carlbom rescinded the coveted endorsement a month later. “I am incredibly honored to be the DFL endorsed candidate for Minneapolis Mayor. This endorsement is a message that Minneapolis residents are done with broken promises, vetoes, and politics as usual. It’s a mandate to build a city that works for all of us,” Fateh said on X in July. MINNEAPOLIS DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST OMAR FATEH VOWS TO PROTECT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM ‘HOSTILE’ TRUMP ADMIN “After a thoughtful and transparent review of the challenges, the Constitution, Bylaws & Rules Committee found substantial failures in the Minneapolis Convention’s voting process on July 19th, including an acknowledgment that a mayoral candidate was errantly eliminated from contention. As a result, the Constitution, Bylaws & Rules Committee has vacated the mayoral endorsement,” Carlbom said the following month. But with the backing of the Twin Cities’ chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America and “Squad” member Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who represents Minneapolis in the U.S. House of Representatives, Fateh’s progressive campaign maintained momentum. There were 15 mayoral candidates on the ballot in Minneapolis Tuesday after the city did not hold a mayoral primary. And while candidates can still identify politically, city races in Minneapolis are officially nonpartisan. In an attempt to consolidate support against the incumbent frontrunner Frey, Fateh urged his supporters to rank pastor DeWayne Davis and attorney Jazz Hampton as their second and third choices. In Minneapolis, if a candidate receives more than 50% of first-choice votes, that candidate wins outright. But if no one gets a majority, counting moves to additional rounds. After each round, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and those ballots are redistributed to the next-ranked candidate on each voter’s ballot. The process continues until one candidate has a majority and can be declared the winner. According to The Associated Press, every mayoral race in Minneapolis since 2013 has gone to at least a second round of ranked-choice voting. Frey ousted an incumbent in 2017 after six rounds of tabulation. Then, in 2021, Frey won re-election after two rounds. The last mayor’s race took the national stage after the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis in 2020, triggering national and international protests rejecting police brutality amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., who was former Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate last year and is up for re-election next year, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., endorsed Frey’s campaign this year. And Minneapolis was once again in the national spotlight this year. The city is still reeling from a massacre at a back-to-school Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church in August, where two children were killed and 17 others were injured when a shooter opened fire before committing suicide. Associated Press contributed to this report
California voters pass congressional redistricting proposition in victory for Newsom, Democrats
California voters have passed a ballot initiative that will have a huge impact on next year’s battle for the U.S. House majority. According to the Fox News Decision Desk, voters in California approved Proposition 50, which would dramatically alter the state’s congressional districts, putting the left-leaning state front and center in the high-stakes political fight over redistricting that pits President Donald Trump and the GOP against the Democrats. Approval of the ballot initiative in the nation’s most populous state will temporarily sidetrack California’s nonpartisan redistricting commission and return the power to draw the congressional maps to the Democrat-dominated legislature. The effort in California, which could create five more Democratic-leaning congressional districts, aims to counter the passage in the reliable red state of Texas of a new map that aims to create up to five right-leaning House seats. Failure to approve what’s known as Proposition 50 would have been a stinging setback for Democrats. OBAMA ENDORSES NEWSOM CALIFORNIA REDISTRICTING PROP 50 Two-term Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is seen as a likely 2028 Democratic presidential contender, spearheaded the push to pass the proposition. “If we lose here, we are going to have total Republican control in the House, the Senate and the White House for at least two more years,” Newsom emphasized in a recent fundraising appeal to supporters. “If we win here, we can put a check on Trump for his final two years.” HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING, ANALYSIS, ON 2025 ELECTIONS The push by Trump and Republicans for a rare mid-decade redistricting is part of a broad effort by the GOP to pad its razor-thin House majority to keep control of the chamber in the 2026 midterms, when the party in power traditionally faces political headwinds and loses seats. Trump and his political team are aiming to prevent what happened during his first term in the White House, when Democrats reclaimed the House majority in the 2018 midterm elections. “California voters have sent a strong and clear message that they will not stand by while Republicans try to rig the 2026 election,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Rep. Suzan DelBene argued in a statement. “By overwhelmingly voting to pass Proposition 50, Californians are fighting back against the GOP’s disastrous record of raising costs and ripping away health care from millions, all to give tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy.” But Rep. Richard Hudson, chair of the rival National Republican Congressional Committee, charged that “no matter how Democrats redraw the lines to satisfy Gavin Newsom’s power grab, they can’t redraw their record of failure, and that’s why they will fail to take the House majority. Even under this new map, Republicans have clear opportunities to flip seats because Californians are fed up with Democrat chaos.” Missouri last month joined Texas as the second GOP-controlled state to pass congressional redistricting ahead of next year’s elections. The new map in Missouri is likely to give the GOP another right-leaning seat. North Carolina’s Republican-controlled legislature also passed a new map likely to score another congressional seat for the GOP. Republican-controlled Indiana is on deck, with a special legislative session getting underway this week. But, unlike those states, California voters needed to weigh in before giving redistricting power back to the legislature in Sacramento. “Heaven help us if we lose,” Newsom said in a fundraising pitch. “This is an all-hands-on-deck moment for Democrats.” FIVE KEY 2025 RACES TO WATCH Proponents and opponents of Proposition 50 raised hundreds of millions of dollars, with much of the money being dished out to pay for a deluge of ads on both sides. One of the two main groups countering Newsom and the Democrats labeled its effort “Stop Sacramento’s Power Grab.” Getting into the fight was former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the last Republican governor of California. During his tenure as governor, Schwarzenegger had a starring role in the passage of constitutional amendments in California in 2008 and 2010 that took the power to draw state legislative and congressional districts away from politicians and placed it in the hands of an independent commission. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA VOTERS WEIGH IN ON PROP 50 REDISTRICTING FIGHT “That’s what they want to do is take us backwards. This is why it is important for you to vote no on Prop 50,” Schwarzenegger said in an ad against Proposition 50. “Democracy — we’ve got to protect it, and we’ve got to go and fight for it.” But as Election Day neared in California, supporters had raised dramatically more than opponents of the proposition, and public opinion polling indicated majority support for the proposition. Even before Trump initiated his redistricting push, Ohio was under court order to redraw its maps. That could boost Republicans in a one-time battleground state that now leans right. Republicans in GOP-dominated Florida are also mulling congressional redistricting. And Democrats in heavily blue Maryland are weighing a redistricting push, while the Democrat-controlled legislature in Virginia is already pushing redistricting. Other states considering altering maps are Democrat-dominated Illinois and red states Kansas and Nebraska. Meanwhile, Democrats could possibly pick up a seat in Republican-dominated Utah due to a new, more competitive map, mandated by a judge.
Former NJ gov, councilman advance to runoff mayoral race in New Jersey’s second-largest city
Former Democratic New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey and Jersey City Council member James Solomon advanced to a runoff mayoral race slated for later this year, The Associated Press reported. The runoff election will be held Dec. 2 after no candidate won the majority of the vote on Tuesday. The nonpartisan Jersey City mayoral race was crowded with seven candidates, including McGreevey, who was viewed as the frontrunner, alongside Bill O’Dea, who is a Hudson County commissioner and former city councilman, and Solomon, a city councilman. The election also included former school board president Mussab Ali, city police Officer Christina Freeman, City Council President Joyce Watterman and candidate Kalki Jayne-Rose. NJ BARBERSHOP VOTERS SPLIT OVER SHERRILL, CIATTARELLI AS GOVERNOR’S RACE TIGHTENS Jersey City is a crucial jurisdiction in the Garden State, with a population of nearly 303,000 people conveniently located directly across the Hudson River from New York City. The mayoral race follows longtime Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop opting not to run for another term. Fulop unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination to serve as New Jersey governor earlier in 2025. McGreevey’s run for Jersey City mayor marked his official return to New Jersey politics following his resignation as governor in 2004, when it was revealed he was having an affair with a male staffer whom he named the state’s Department of Homeland Security and Preparedness. McGreevey was married to a woman at the time and resigned as his former affair partner threatened a sexual harassment lawsuit. “I’m not asking folks to judge my soul. That’s for God,” McGreevey told NJ.com in October of his return to politics. “What I would ask people to ask is, “Will I be a good mayor?’” McGreevey subsequently came out as gay and largely withdrew from the public eye after his resignation. He entered the seminary after his resignation and focused his attention on faith-based community service, according to his campaign website. He is known as the first openly gay governor in U.S. history. NEW JERSEY DEMS SNUB ENDORSING SOCIALIST CANDIDATE MAMDANI AS GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION LOOMS Similar to the New Jersey gubernatorial election, the Jersey City mayoral election directed its focus to affordability in a state known nationwide for its sky-high taxes and housing woes. McGreevey, for example, campaigned on building 1,000 new affordable homes for city residents and requiring 20% of new developments to be reserved for affordable housing. DEMOCRAT IN KEY GOVERNOR RACE KEEPS DISTANCE FROM NYC’S MAMDANI O’Dea campaigned on rent control measures for the city bad building affordable housing specifically for teachers, nurses and first responders, according to his website. Solomon touted he would end the “current pay-to-play system for tax breaks for developers” to bring down housing costs and end “double-digit rent hikes in all residential buildings,” according to his campaign website. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP New Jersey polls closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday, and the state and nation closely watched the Garden State’s gubernatorial election, which elected Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherill.