Democrats won gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia, held three Pennsylvania Supreme Court, and voted for a new election map in California
Was it a blue wave? It depends who you ask. But Democrats, desperate to gain during President Donald Trump’s second administration, will undoubtedly be encouraged by the results of Tuesday’s elections in the Mid-Atlantic region.
The party won gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia; held three Pennsylvania Supreme Court seats; and saw Trump-endorsed candidates lose several contests. This election cycle featured several unusual races, making it difficult to prognosticate on whether the year’s results hold much meaning for the future. But Democrats’ clean sweep and, in some cases, surprisingly strong margins of victory are likely to bolster the party going forward. The incumbent Pennsylvania justices — Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht — faced rare GOP-funded “no” campaigns in their retention elections, which are usually uncontested. The justices technically ran for retention as nonpartisan officials, but they were all first elected to the bench as Democrats and party leaders, including Gov. Josh Shapiro and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, made retaining the justices a central focus this year. All three easily won retention just days after Trump encouraged their ouster on social media. Philadelphia’s progressive District Attorney Larry Krasner secured a third term against self-described “lifelong Democrat” Patrick Dugan, this time with the challenger was running as the GOP nominee after losing to Krasner in May’s Democratic primary. And the New Jersey governor’s race, in which U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill defeated Trump-endorsed Republican Jack Ciattarelli, was largely focused on local issues, especially affordability. — Sean Collins Walsh
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