Lead: Former Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears on Nov. 4, 2025, becoming Virginia’s first woman governor in a race seen as a referendum on President Trump. The result flips the seat held by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who could not run for consecutive terms. Across the same ballot, high turnout shaped the New York City mayoral contest and tight gubernatorial fights continued in New Jersey; California voters also weighed Proposition 50 on congressional maps. Early exit polling showed the economy top of mind and President Trump a factor for many voters.
Key takeaways
- Spanberger victory: Abigail Spanberger defeated Winsome Earle-Sears on Nov. 4, 2025, making history as Virginia’s first female governor and flipping a seat held by Republican Glenn Youngkin.
- Virginia ratings: CBS News moved the Virginia governor’s race from “lean Democratic” to “likely Democratic” before projecting Spanberger the winner.
- NYC turnout: New York City recorded very high participation—about 1.195 million check-ins by noon and more than 1.4 million votes counted by 3 p.m., including early ballots.
- Exit polls focus: Early exit polling in Virginia, New Jersey, NYC and California found the economy ranked as voters’ top issue; roughly two-thirds of voters in Virginia and New Jersey expressed dissatisfaction with the nation’s direction.
- Demographic shifts: Spanberger led by double digits with women and showed improved support among Black and under-30 voters compared with 2021 Democratic performance in Virginia.
- New Jersey and NYC: New Jersey’s governor’s race between Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli remained competitive; New York City’s three-way mayoral contest produced record early turnout.
- California Proposition 50: The measure to redraw U.S. House districts was on the ballot, with many Californians saying they prefer independent commissions for redistricting overall.
- Security and logistics: Some New Jersey polling sites received hoax bomb threats; officials said the threats were not credible but some locations briefly closed and voters were rerouted.
Background
Virginia holds its gubernatorial election in the year after a presidential contest and by tradition it is often interpreted as a midterm-style reflection on the sitting White House. Under state law, incumbent Gov. Glenn Youngkin was ineligible to seek immediate reelection, leaving an open-seat contest between Democrat Abigail Spanberger and Republican Winsome Earle-Sears. Spanberger campaigned as a moderate and emphasized affordability and federal workforce impacts; Earle-Sears campaigned on immigration and transgender policy concerns.
New Jersey and New York City races drew national attention because of their size, timing and potential implications for 2026 midterms. In New Jersey, former state Rep. Jack Ciattarelli ran as the GOP challenger to Rep. Mikie Sherrill, both framing affordability as central. In New York City, a three-way contest featuring Democrat Zohran Mamdani, independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa followed a contentious primary and unprecedented crossover campaigning.
California’s Proposition 50 proposed temporarily altering congressional district lines—an aggressive response to redistricting moves in other states. Across these contests, national figures and issues, notably President Trump and federal policy decisions, shaped messaging and voter perceptions.
Main event
Virginia: On Nov. 4, 2025, CBS News projected that Abigail Spanberger would win the governorship, a result that hands Democrats a pickup in a state with a large federal workforce that has felt the effects of recent federal spending and hiring changes. Spanberger positioned her campaign around economic issues affecting families and federal employees; Earle-Sears emphasized cultural and immigration topics. Trump campaigned for parts of the Republican ticket but notably did not formally endorse Earle-Sears by name.
New York City: Voters turned out in large numbers for the mayoral contest. Early-vote statistics reported more than 1.19 million check-ins by midday and over 1.4 million by mid-afternoon, signaling unusually high engagement. Affordability was the dominant concern cited by voters; campaign narratives ranged between promises of experienced governance and calls for change.
New Jersey: The gubernatorial contest remained competitive late into the day, with both Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli emphasizing affordability, taxes and the economy. Ciattarelli positioned his message around cost relief, while Sherrill, a former Navy officer and congresswoman, highlighted an affordability agenda and pushed back on GOP efforts to scrutinize her service records.
California: Proposition 50, a redistricting initiative, drew national scrutiny because it targeted a small set of Republican-held House districts and would temporarily alter the stateʼs independent commission process. Voter sentiment in exit polling showed skepticism about either party drawing maps and a preference for nonpartisan commissions among many Californians.
Analysis & implications
Spanberger’s win in Virginia signals potential headwinds for the president’s party in off-year elections, especially in states with significant federal workforces affected by administration policy. The margin by which she led women and younger voters suggests Democrats can regain ground among groups that were decisive in earlier cycles. That said, state-level dynamics—local issues, candidate quality and turnout patterns—remain crucial and can blunt national trends.
In New York City, elevated turnout complicates simple predictions about the mayoral outcome. High early participation favored both established networks and motivated change-oriented voters; how late-day turnout and absentee ballots break will determine the final direction. The prominence of housing affordability as a driver implies the next mayor will face immediate pressure to propose deliverable short- and medium-term plans.
New Jersey’s tightness underscores the continuing political importance of economic messaging. If Ciattarelli narrows the gap or prevails, Republican messaging on taxes and cost-of-living could have momentum heading into 2026. Conversely, a Sherrill win would reinforce the Democratic argument that moderate, pragmatic platforms can hold suburban and independent voters.
Proposition 50’s passage or failure will carry broader implications for redistricting battles nationwide. A successful measure could encourage partisan responses elsewhere; a rejection would signal resistance to shutting down independent commissions. Either way, the contest highlighted growing voter concern about map fairness and the nationalization of what are usually state-level technical processes.
Comparison & data
| Jurisdiction | Notable metric | Reported figure |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | Early voting check-ins by noon | 1,195,062 |
| New York City | Votes counted by 3 p.m. (incl. early) | More than 1.4 million |
| Virginia | Polls close | 7 p.m. ET |
| New Jersey | Polls close | 8 p.m. ET |
| New York | Polls close | 9 p.m. ET |
| California | Polls close | 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT |
These figures provide a snapshot of participation and timing on Election Day; they do not represent final certified vote totals. Early-turnout advantages can shift as ballots cast late, by mail and provisional ballots are counted.
Reactions & quotes
Key national and local figures weighed in as results and turnout data emerged.
“This is the biggest election — the entire country is watching New Jersey,”
Former President Donald J. Trump (campaign rally comment)
Context: Mr. Trump held a telephone rally in support of parts of the Republican ticket and explicitly backed some candidates while stopping short of a named endorsement for Winsome Earle-Sears.
“I voted, and I look forward to working with the next mayor to help New York City,”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer
Context: Schumer declined to disclose whom he supported but emphasized readiness to cooperate with the incoming city leadership. His comment reflected cautious hedging among some party leaders about intra-party divisions.
“We’re going to get out there and win and send a powerful message,”
Gov. Gavin Newsom (campaign rally for Prop 50)
Context: California’s governor actively campaigned for Proposition 50, framing the measure as a response to redistricting moves in other states and as a broader statement on national political dynamics.
Unconfirmed
- Long-term impact of Proposition 50: The exact downstream effects on the 2026 House map depend on litigation and legislative action that were not resolved on Election Day.
- Federal funding reaction: Claims that a federal funding cutoff would follow particular local outcomes in New York were stated by commentators but remain speculative and unverified.
Bottom line
Abigail Spanberger’s projected victory in Virginia is the headline outcome of Election Day 2025, marking a historic first for the commonwealth and reflecting voter unease about national economic conditions and federal policy. While national themes—especially views of President Trump—shaped narratives, state-specific issues and candidate positioning were decisive in many contests.
High turnout in New York City and competitive margins in New Jersey and California signal that voters are engaged and that local races will continue to draw national attention into 2026. Officials and campaigns should expect continued scrutiny of absentee and provisional ballots, potential legal challenges around redistricting measures, and a sustained focus on affordability as a core voter concern.