Millions of Americans around the country headed to the polls Tuesday for off-year elections that could foreshadow what's to come in the 2026 midterms. In each of the key races, Democrats won significant victories from Virginia and New Jersey to New York City.
Virginia's polls closed at 7 p.m., and by 8 p.m. AP and other outlets were reporting that the Democratic candidate, Abigail Spanberger, had won the main race, becoming the state's first female governor in history. The race was between Spanberger and Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears. With Virginia seen as a purple state, Spanberger made the race all about Trump opposition, trying to tie Sears to the president and the unpopular government shutdown that has directly affected many Virginia voters.
Also on Tuesday, Democrat Ghazala F. Hashmi won Virginia's lieutenant governor's race to become the first Muslim woman to win a statewide office in the U.S.
In the Virginia commonwealth's attorney general race between Democrat Jay Jones and Republican Jason Miyares, Jones is the winner. The race was much closer than others because Jones had been exposed weeks ago for disturbing text messages wishing for the violent murder of a Republican lawmaker and his wife and children.
FULL COVERAGE: Democrat in Virginia Race Exposed for Violent Texts About Shooting a Top Republican
Democrat Jay Jones speaks after winning his controversial race for Virginia attorney general, Nov. 4, 2025, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Beyond Virginia
In New York City's mayoral race, Socialist Democrat Zohran Mamdani has been declared the winner over a lifelong Democrat, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent after losing the Democratic primary. Mamdani campaigned with an openly socialist agenda, saying he wants to ban extreme wealth, wants rent freezes and city-owned grocery stores, and famously said, "I don't think that we should have billionaires."
In New Jersey, Democrat Mikie Sherrill has been declared the winner over Republican Jack Ciatterelli for governor.
California's voters approved the Proposition 50 constitutional amendment that would suspend the state's independent citizen redistricting system and create new congressional lines for the 2026, 2028, and 2030 elections. The goal of Gov. Gavin Newsom was to give Democrats a boost in next year's midterm congressional elections.
CBN News provided live coverage of the races from 9 to 10 Eastern on the CBN News channel on YouTube. Click Below to Watch:
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