Trump shares two reasons why Republicans lost US mayoral, governor elections

United States President Donald Trump has shared two reasons why the Republicans lost the mayoral and gubernatorial elections in the country, and one of them is that ‘he was not there!’

Reacting to the Republican losses in several elections in the US, Donald Trump said that two key factors were to blame – his absence from the ballot and the government shutdown, citing pollsters to support his claim.

Trump remarked, “TRUMP WASN’T ON THE BALLOT, AND SHUTDOWN, WERE THE TWO REASONS THAT REPUBLICANS LOST ELECTIONS TONIGHT.”

Sweeping victory for Democrats

Democrats registered their biggest political victories since their stinging loss to Donald Trump a year ago, securing a series of wins in Virginia, New Jersey and New York. The party coalesced around a message of economic affordability, and voters delivered a repudiation of the president.

In New York City, Zohran Mamdani, a progressive Democrat, claimed victory after running an insurgent campaign for mayor against Independent Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani's core message centered on affordability, which includes tackling housing costs and widening inequality in the nation’s financial capital.

Mamdani's platform called for freezing rents on rent-stabilized units, constructing more affordable housing, raising the minimum wage to $30 a hour, making buses free, and increasing taxes for the city’s wealthiest residents, Guardian reported.

Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey and Abigail Spanberger in Virginia both campaigned for governor on pocketbook issues – lowering costs, expanding child care and restoring stability after months of economic turbulence and a government shutdown that’s stretched past five weeks.

And in California, voters approved a ballot initiative that will redraw the state’s congressional district map to give Democrats the opportunity to win a handful of additional seats.

Trump's chilling message after Mamdani's win

The US president posted a chilling message on his social media handle, shortly after Zohran Mamdani won the New York mayoral polls.

Without saying too much, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “…and so it begins!”

The post came minutes after Zohran Mamdani, in his first speech to supporters, vowed to end the culture of corruption that enables billionaires such as Donald Trump to evade taxes.

Trump has repeatedly criticised Mamdani in public, calling him a “communist lunatic” and threatening to withhold federal funding from the city. Hence, after Mamdani's historic win, one of his first challenges as a mayor will be to manage the city's relationship with the White House.

How many votes did Zohran Mamdani get?

Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat, secured 50.3% of the votes, while former Governor Andrew Cuomo garnered 41.6% with 88% of the vote counted, according to the Associated Press. Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa received 7.2%.

This election was one of the most competitive races that the biggest US city had seen in more than a decade. This is very well reflected by the high volumes of voter interest and turnout. More than 2 million people voted across New York City, the most since 1969, according to the New York City Board of Elections.