WASHINGTON (November 5, 2025)- It was a successful night for Democrats across the country as many candidates secured major victories resulting in a positive outlook going into next year’s midterm elections. History was as Virginia candidate Abigail Spanberger became the first female governor in the state. Zohran Mamdani also made history as the first Muslim Mayor to be elected in New York City. California received an overwhelming amount of support from voters for Governor Gavin Newsom’s redistricting referendum allowing the state legislature to redo congressional maps and add up to five new Democratic-leaning seats ahead of the 2026 election.
Experts at the George Washington University are available to provide context and analysis of these results. To speak with an expert, please contact Skyler Sales at skylers
gwu [dot] edu.
Casey Burgat is a professor at the George Washington University School of Political Management. Professor Burgat is the director of the Legislative Affairs program and hosts its Mastering the Room podcast. Prior to joining GW, Burgat was a Senior Governance Fellow at the R Street Institute where his research focused on issues of congressional capacity and reform.
Todd Belt is a professor at the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management. His research and writing focuses on the mass media, public opinion, the presidency, campaigns and elections.
“While Donald Trump was a factor in last night’s election results, the economy is still the number one issue, from the affordability in New York City, to utility prices in New Jersey, to lost jobs and contracts in Virginia,” Todd Belt said.
-GW-