WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to fellow Republicans on Wednesday morning, urging the party to “learn quickly” from its disappointing performance in Tuesday’s elections. His remarks came after GOP candidates faced a series of setbacks across several states, losing key governor’s and mayoral races as Democrats and left-wing candidates made gains in traditionally competitive districts.
The president, who has spent much of his second term emphasizing party unity and message discipline, attributed the Republican losses primarily to two factors — the ongoing government shutdown and his own absence from the ballot.
“‘TRUMP WASN’T ON THE BALLOT, AND SHUTDOWN, WERE THE TWO REASONS THAT REPUBLICANS LOST ELECTIONS TONIGHT, according to Pollsters,’” Trump wrote late Tuesday on Truth Social, referencing several internal campaign surveys conducted by GOP pollsters in recent days.
While the elections were largely local and off-year contests, analysts say the results could offer a preview of voter sentiment heading into the 2026 midterms — and raise questions about the political risks of Trump’s shutdown strategy, which entered its fourth week on Election Day.
Republican Losses Across Blue States
Among the most notable results of the night was Zohran Mamdani’s victory in New York City’s mayoral race, where the Democratic Socialist and state lawmaker defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent with quiet backing from several Republican figures. Mamdani’s triumph makes him the city’s first Muslim and first socialist mayor, a result that Trump described as “a disgrace for what used to be America’s greatest city.”
“The people of New York just elected a Marxist to City Hall,” Trump said at a closed-door breakfast with GOP senators on Wednesday morning. “If that doesn’t wake up Republicans to what’s happening, nothing will.”
Republican losses also extended beyond New York. In New Jersey, Democratic Governor Mikie Sherrill easily secured re-election, defeating Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli by more than 13 percentage points — a margin far wider than most polls had projected. Meanwhile, in Virginia, Democrat Abigail Spanberger defeated conservative favorite Winsome Earle-Sears, winning 57.5% of the vote to Earle-Sears’ 42.3%.
For context, Trump lost both states in the 2024 presidential election — by 5.7 points in Virginia and 5.9 in New Jersey — suggesting that Democrats continue to hold structural advantages in the Mid-Atlantic region.
California Ballot Measure Shifts Power
In California, voters approved Proposition 50, a controversial measure dismantling the state’s independent redistricting commission — a system established in 2008 to prevent partisan gerrymandering. The change paves the way for the Democratic-controlled legislature to redraw congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterms.
According to early projections, Democrats could gain as many as five new House seats as a result. Republican leaders swiftly condemned the measure, calling it “a blatant power grab” designed to entrench Democratic dominance.
“This is California taking one more step toward single-party rule,” said House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA). “And it shows exactly why we need to win at the federal level — because states like this will keep tilting the board against voters.”
Democrats, however, defended the move, arguing that the independent commission had failed to ensure equitable representation for communities of color and rural voters.
Trump’s Take: “We Learned a Lot”
Despite the poor showing, Trump struck a somewhat reflective tone in his remarks to Senate Republicans during a Wednesday breakfast meeting at the Capitol.
“It was not expected to be a victory,” Trump said. “I don’t think it was good for Republicans. I’m not sure it was good for anybody, but we had an interesting evening, and we learned a lot.”
Several Republican senators present at the breakfast said the president appeared focused on identifying weaknesses in messaging rather than assigning blame. One attendee, who requested anonymity to discuss the private meeting, said Trump repeatedly stressed the need for “energy, discipline, and turnout.”
“He told us flat out — don’t rely on my name alone,” the senator said. “He said the MAGA movement is bigger than one man and that every Republican needs to fight like they’re at the top of the ticket.”
Still, Trump reportedly expressed frustration with the timing of the ongoing government shutdown, which many strategists believe hurt GOP turnout in competitive suburbs. The shutdown, now in its 28th day, has disrupted federal paychecks and triggered widespread political blame toward both parties — though polling shows voters holding Republicans slightly more responsible.
Party Tensions and Future Strategy
The election losses have reignited internal tensions within the GOP between pro-Trump populists and establishment conservatives. Some lawmakers argue that the party’s focus on culture-war issues and combative rhetoric has alienated moderate voters, particularly in urban and suburban areas. Others insist that the defeats simply reflect the absence of Trump himself on the ballot.
“Without Trump’s name, turnout suffers — that’s just reality,” said political strategist Corey Lewandowski, a longtime Trump ally. “Republican voters need inspiration. Trump gives them that. When he’s not on the ballot, you lose that spark.”
However, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), one of Trump’s few remaining critics within the party, offered a starkly different view.
“Republicans keep losing not because Trump isn’t on the ballot,” Romney said on CNN. “They’re losing because Trumpism has overtaken the party, and swing voters are rejecting chaos.”
Party officials are already discussing ways to adjust their approach before the 2026 midterms, including broadening outreach to younger voters and suburban women. Several GOP governors are also pushing for greater state-level autonomy in shaping campaign strategies, arguing that Washington-centric politics no longer resonate with diverse local electorates.
A New Political Flashpoint: Mamdani’s Eligibility
In the aftermath of Mamdani’s election, some House Republicans are exploring legal and constitutional strategies to prevent him from being sworn in. Citing the 14th Amendment’s “insurrection clause”, lawmakers have raised questions about whether Mamdani’s past associations with socialist movements and anti-police protests could disqualify him from holding office.
The effort, first reported by the New York Post, is being spearheaded by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO). Legal scholars, however, say the attempt faces steep constitutional hurdles.
“There is no evidence that Mr. Mamdani engaged in or supported any insurrectionary activity,” said Professor Jonathan Adler of Case Western Reserve University School of Law. “This seems more like political theater than a viable legal strategy.”
Mamdani himself dismissed the effort during a Wednesday press conference in Brooklyn, calling it “a desperate distraction from the fact that working-class New Yorkers just took power back.”
Looking Ahead
While Tuesday’s losses dealt a blow to Republican morale, political analysts caution against reading too much into off-year election results.
“The midterms are still a year away, and a lot can change,” said Amy Walter, editor of the Cook Political Report. “If the economy improves and the shutdown ends soon, the GOP could rebound quickly.”
Still, Trump’s warning to his party carried an unmistakable edge — a reminder that even from the Oval Office, he remains the Republican Party’s central figure and its most influential strategist.
“We lost some battles,” Trump told his allies on Truth Social late Wednesday. “But the war for America’s future is far from over. The movement continues — stronger, smarter, and more determined than ever.”