Reports indicate that many voters in New Jersey and Virginia, where Democratic governors were elected recently, made their choices against President Trump.
In New Jersey, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D.N.J.) defeated former Rep. Jack Ciatarelli (R). Approximately 40% of registered voters expressed that they voted “against Trump,” while merely 13% claimed their vote was “for” him.
Sherrill secured 56.2% of the vote compared to Ciatarelli’s 43.2%, as per vote tallies from decision desk headquarters (DDHQ) early Wednesday.
In Virginia, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) triumphed over Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle Sears (R-Va.), becoming the state’s first female governor. In this case, 38% reported voting “against Trump,” with an additional 16% stating they voted to support him.
Spanberger led with 57.5% of the votes while Earle Sears garnered 42.5%, according to DDHQ.
Interestingly, about 45% of voters in both states mentioned their votes weren’t influenced by Trump.
The outcomes in New York City’s mayoral election and California’s Prop 50 were strikingly different. In NYC, a significant majority—57%—voted without considering Trump, even though both Mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani (D) and runner-up Andrew Cuomo sought to capitalize on opposition to the president.
Mamdani hinted that Cuomo might be overly favorable toward Trump, who has recently supported the former governor. On the other hand, Cuomo reminded residents of Trump’s threats to cut funds if he got involved in state matters.
In this election, 32% opposed Trump while 8% supported him, according to the poll.
Meanwhile, voters in California greenlit a mid-decade redistricting effort that could potentially benefit Democrats in the upcoming midterm elections. This initiative was presented as a reaction to Trump’s pressure on Republican governors, especially in Texas, aiming for similar redistricting strategies for additional Republican advantages.
In California, 51% voted against Trump, while 8% said they supported him. Additionally, 42% stated their votes weren’t about the president at all.
The Associated Press conducted a voter survey from October 22 to November, which included 4,490 participants from California, 4,244 from New Jersey, 4,304 from New York City, and 4,215 from Virginia. The margins of error were 2 percentage points for California, 2.1 for New Jersey, 2.2 for New York City, and 2.1 for Virginia.
