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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.
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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 New Jersey Rep. Mikie 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."
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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."
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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 who 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 forseeable future.
Trump is famous for his long-running political spats with Democrat foes, such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Sen. Adam Schiff, frequently spotlighting the opponents as examples as to why Democrat policies fail while championing his MAGA approach.
Now, Trump has who likely will be another longstanding 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."
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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 celebrated victories long before the clock struck midnight on Election Day.
Republicans, however, failed to rally support in a handful of other state elections, including three Democratic justices on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court defending their jobs from challengers. Republican Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares also failed to retain his seat against Jay Jones, who was mired in controversy after text messages showed him envisioning the murder of a former Republican leader.
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In California, Newsom and Democrats passed a ballot initiative to redraw the state's congressional lines, which could flip up to five Republican seats blue in the liberal state.
Newsom launched the redistricting effort, Proposition 50, earlier in 2025 to counter the Trump administration's promotion that Republicans in states such as Texas redistrict their own lines.
Ahead of Mamdani's election Tuesday, business owners and conservative political leaders sounded off with concern that the democratic socialist's policies could cripple the city’s economy and spark businesses to flee.
"We will lose businesses in droves," Republican Councilwoman Vickie Paladino said in July of Mamdani's candidacy. "You got NASDAQ, you got Wall Street. They could work anywhere. They could work in Jersey, they could work in Connecticut. They don't need to be in Lower Manhattan."
Mamdani campaigned on proposals to raise the corporate tax rate, shift more of the tax burden to "richer and whiter neighborhoods" and add a flat 2% income tax on earners making over $1 million to pay for other programs that will fund other "free" services for the residents.
Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler added that the city is already strained by inflation, high taxes and regulation, and that the election of a socialist could cripple businesses.
"New York is the capital of capitalism and small businesses," Loeffler told Fox Digital in September.
"Small businesses are very concerned about what might be coming down the road, particularly as they hear threats of socialist policies, government takeover of industries, rising regulation, rising taxes, a minimum wage that may skyrocket to $30 an hour and cost thousands of jobs," she said, adding that New York City businesses have already witnessed an "eroding customer base."
Fox News Digital's Amanda Macias, Alec Schemmel and Deirdre Heavey contributed to this report.
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