Democrats won big in the elections. Here’s what you missed.

Summary

Podcast Summary: Democrats won big in the elections. Here’s what you missed.

Podcast: Apple News Today
Host: Shemitah Basu
Date: November 5, 2025

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Overview

This episode recaps Election Night 2025, where Democrats made sweeping gains across major races—the New York mayoral contest, Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races, and a pivotal ballot initiative in California. The episode explores the implications of these wins for both the Democratic and Republican parties, President Trump’s political future, and previews a Supreme Court case that could reshape Trump’s signature tariff policies.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Democratic Sweep in Major Races

• New York City:

  • Democratic Socialist Zoran Mamdani elected as mayor, marking the first Muslim and first Asian to lead the city and the youngest in over a century ([01:18]).
  • Victory seen as a win for progressive, left-wing economic agendas.
  • Zoran Mamdani’s Victory Speech:
    “Over the last 12 months, you have dared to reach for something greater. Tonight, against all odds, we have grasped it. The future is in our hands, my friends. We have toppled a political dynasty.” ([01:39])

• Turnout:

  • Highest for New York City in over 50 years, with more than 2 million votes cast ([02:11]).
  • Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez notes defeat for the ‘old guard’ within the Democratic party.

• Generational Shift in Democrats:

  • Party strategists suggest internal renewal is essential:
    “The Democratic Party cannot last much longer by… undercut[ting] our young, by trying to undercut a next generation of diverse and upcoming Democrats.” ([02:25])

2. Virginia and New Jersey Gubernatorial Races

• Virginia:

  • Abigail Spanberger becomes the first female governor, defeating Winsome Earl Sears ([03:50]).
  • Won by more than 10 points—the largest Democratic margin in 40 years ([04:30]).
  • “We sent a message to the whole world that in 2025, Virginia chose pragmatism over partisanship. We chose our commonwealth over chaos.” — Democratic Strategist ([04:30])

• Impact of Government Shutdown:

  • Virginia hit especially hard given its 147,000 federal workers, with Republicans blamed for the impasse ([04:53]).

• New Jersey:

  • Mikie Sherrill wins by double digits, the first time in decades a party has led for three consecutive terms.
  • Campaign focused on defending New Jersey from Trump influence.
    “We’re not going to give in to our darker impulses here in New Jersey. We know that this nation has not ever been, nor will it ever be, ruled by kings.” — Democratic Strategist ([05:30])

• Republican Analysis:

  • Robert Kahaly (GOP pollster) points to shutdown, not Trump, as main cause of GOP losses:
    “Shutdown. Shutdown. Shutdown. That had a big effect… The GOP has to figure out how to turn out races without Donald Trump on the ballot.” ([05:57])

3. California Ballot Measure & Response

• Proposition 50 Passes:

  • Allows Democrats to redraw state maps in response to GOP gerrymandering.
  • Governor Gavin Newsom, though recognizing victory, strikes a serious note:
    “We stood tall and we stood firm in response to Donald Trump’s recklessness… this bear roared with an unprecedented turnout in a special election with an extraordinary result.” — George Storr, quoting Newsom ([06:43])

• Trump’s Unsubstantiated Voter Fraud Claims:

  • Administration threatens executive action; California election officials call claims "baseless” ([07:02]).

4. Democratic Party’s Crossroads

• Re-examining After Defeat:
  • After a harsh 2024, Democrats now dissect reasons for newfound success ([07:02]).
  • Focus shifts from “how to recover” to “how to understand our success.”

5. Supreme Court Case on Trump’s Tariffs

• Key Issue:
  • Whether President Trump’s use of tariffs—bypassing Congress via the Emergency Economic Powers Act—was legal ([07:47]).
• Arguments:
  • Trump claims foreign affairs and national security give him authority.
  • Plaintiffs say he needs congressional approval ([08:15]).
• Potential Impact:

  • $90 billion in tariffs at stake; companies could get refunds if the court rules against Trump ([09:19]).

  • Would affect Trump’s power to negotiate and use tariffs as leverage internationally.

  • Treasury Secretary Scott Besant concedes alternatives would be “cumbersome and less effective” ([09:33]).

  • If Trump prevails, his unilateral economic authority grows; if not, significant economic and political fallout possible.

    “It gives the US and the president the most negotiating authority. And again, this is a signature policy for the president. And traditionally SCOTUS has been loathe to interfere with these signature policies.” — Fox News Analyst ([09:56])

    “What we’ll probably see is the administration trying to reimpose at least some of these tariffs using those different tools.... We just have to go through this other process.”
    — George Storr ([10:39])

6. Other Major Headlines

• UPS Plane Crash in Louisville:
  • At least 7 dead, 11 injured; investigation underway ([10:57]).
• Longest Government Shutdown in History:
  • Some optimism for a deal as Democrats may vote for a temporary funding bill; 14th vote failed ([11:16]).
  • Transportation Secretary warns of mass airspace shutdown if impasse continues.
• Bizarre Error in Maine:
  • Hundreds of living patients receive condolence letters by mistake; system glitch ([11:45]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Zoran Mamdani, on winning NYC mayor:

“Tonight, against all odds, we have grasped it. The future is in our hands, my friends. We have toppled a political dynasty.”
([01:39])

Zoran Mamdani, addressing Trump:

“So hear me, President Trump, when I say this. To get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us.”
([03:15])

Abigail Spanberger’s campaign message:

“We sent a message to the whole world... we chose pragmatism over partisanship.”
([04:30])

New Jersey Democratic mantra:

“We know that this nation has not ever been, nor will it ever be, ruled by kings.”
([05:30])

On Republican losses:

“Shutdown. Shutdown. Shutdown. That had a big effect on this election.... The GOP has to figure out how to turn out races without Donald Trump on the ballot.”
— Robert Kahaly, Fox News ([05:57])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• NY Mayoral race, turnout, and Mamdani’s speech: [01:18]–[03:15]
• NJ & VA Gubernatorial results, party analysis: [03:50]–[06:17]
• California Prop 50 and Newsom’s remarks: [06:17]–[07:02]
• Trump’s tariff SCOTUS case: [07:02]–[10:57]
• UPS crash, shutdown, Maine health system error: [10:57]–[12:00]

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Tone

Shemitah Basu’s clear, concise delivery underscores both the drama and the implications of the night’s results, drawing in expert commentary and direct quotes to paint a dynamic picture of a pivotal political moment. The episode balances celebration, caution, and the seriousness of unresolved national issues.

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For more stories, listen to Apple News Today or read via the Apple News app.

Transcript

[Shemitah Basu]

Good morning. It's Wednesday, November 5th. I'm Shemitah Basu. This is Apple News today. On today's show, a clean sweep for Democrats on election night. A Supreme Court case that could define Trump's economic legacy. And the latest on the UPS plane crash in Kentucky. Let's start with last night's elections, which were seen as an early gauge of voter sentiment in President Trump's second term. Democrats won key victories by large margins.

[CNN Anchor]

CNN projects that Democratic socialist Zoran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate, will be elected the next mayor of New York, New York.

[Fox News Analyst]

In neighboring New Jersey, the Fox News decision desk projects that Democrat Mikey Sherrill will become the state's next governor there.

[CNN Anchor]

CNN has projected that former Democratic congresswoman and CIA case officer Abigail Spamberger will be elected governor of Virginia. NBC News projects that the Prop 50 race in California will be decided in favor. Yes wins on Prop 50 in California.

[Shemitah Basu]

And we are for progressives. Mamdani's victory was evidence that a left wing economic agenda combined with clear messaging could build a new coalition of voters. He will be the first Muslim and first Asian to lead New York city, and at 34, the youngest in over a century. Last night, in his victory speech, he alluded to the odds he was up against.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Over the last 12 months, you have dared to reach for something greater. Tonight, against all odds, we have grasped it. The future is in our hands, my friends. We have toppled a political dynasty.

[Shemitah Basu]

More than 2 million votes were counted in New York City Tuesday, making it the highest turnout in more than half a century. Speaking to CNN New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez said it was a defeat for the old guard of her party.

[Democratic Strategist]

The Democratic Party cannot last much longer by denying the, by trying to undercut our young, by trying to undercut a next generation of diverse and upcoming Democrats that have the parties, the actual party that are actual electorate and voter support.

[Shemitah Basu]

As recently as February, Madani was polling at 1% in the primaries, tied with the someone else option. Now, as the Wall Street Journal put it, a Democratic socialist has the chance to run a city regarded as the epicenter of global capitalism. In recent days, President Trump has threatened to target New York if Mamdani won. Last night, the new mayor elect said he believed Trump was watching and told him to, quote, turn the volume up.

[Zoran Mamdani]

New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and as of tonight, led by an immigrant. So hear me, President Trump, when I say this. To get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us.

[Shemitah Basu]

There were also two critical gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey that we've mentioned. In those states where President Trump improved on his MARGINS in the 2024 election, Democrats running as self styled moderates won easily. Former Representative Abigail Spanberger will become Virginia's first ever female governor, defeating Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earl Sears. Virginia, along with Jersey, is one of two states that holds gubernatorial elections the year between a presidential contest and the midterms, making it a political bellwether for observers. Spanberger won by more than 10 points, the largest Democratic margin in 40 years, according to Semaphore.

[Democratic Strategist]

We sent a message to the whole world that in 2025, Virginia chose pragmatism over partisanship. We chose our commonwealth over chaos.

[Shemitah Basu]

Virginia is home to more than 147,000 federal workers, making it one of the most severely affected areas from the government shutdown so far, most polls show voters place more blame on Republicans for the impasse. In New Jersey, some polls suggested a closer race. But in the end, Democrat Mikey Sherrill easily beat Republican candidate Jack Ciatarelli by double digits. It's the first time in decades that any party has led the state for three consecutive terms. As she's following a two term Democratic governor Sheryl focused her campaign on defending New Jersey from Trump, a theme that she returned to last night.

[Democratic Strategist]

We're gonna follow Lady Liberty speaking. We're not going to give in to our darker impulses here in New Jersey. We know that this nation has not ever been, nor will it ever be, ruled by kings.

[Shemitah Basu]

Republican consultant and pollster Robert Kahaly offered his analysis on Fox News, saying the gridlock in Washington loomed big in these local elections.

[Fox News Analyst]

Shut down, shut down, shutdown. That had a big effect on this election. We saw many Republicans start to go down as the weeks continue to go with the shutdown. Tomorrow the legacy media is going to say it's Donald Trump, it's all his trouble. It's not. It was a shutdown. Number two, the GOP has to figure out how to turn out races without Donald Trump on the ballot.

[Shemitah Basu]

And finally, in California, the yes win for Proposition 50 will give California Democrats the chance to redraw their maps in time for the midterms as a response to recent gerrymandering efforts by Republican states. But Governor Gavin Newsom's speech was sober in tone, a stark contrast to the celebrations elsewhere. He called it an extraordinary night for his party, but there were no smiles or fist pumps as he addressed supporters.

[George Storr]

We stood tall and we stood firm in response to Donald Trump's recklessness. And tonight, after poking the bear, this bear roared with an unprecedented turnout in a special election with an extraordinary result.

[Shemitah Basu]

Yesterday, Trump's press secretary, Caroline Levitt, said the administration was looking into executive action after Trump made unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in California. California's agency in charge of elections described that claim as baseless. Late into the night, Democratic strategists poured over the results in search of takeaways. The party has spent the past year debating what lessons to take from a punishing 2024 defeat. Today, for the first time in a while, the key question is how to understand their success. Now to the Supreme Court, which today will consider whether President Trump had the legal authority to impose many of his sweeping global tariffs. Their decision could define a central plank of Trump's agenda and send ripples through the global economy. The Constitution grants Congress the power to impose tariffs, but to get around that, Trump has relied on a decades old Emergency Economic Powers Act. As Bloomberg Supreme Court reporter George Storr told us, the case today rests on a key question.

[George Storr]

Does Donald Trump need clear congressional authorization to do what he wants to do? And the president is arguing that notion doesn't apply here because we're dealing with foreign affairs and national security, and those are areas where usually the court defers to the president because the president does have constitutional authority over those areas.

[Shemitah Basu]

Storr said that Trump's argument rests on two claims that both the trade deficit and the flow of fentanyl into the US Amount to emergencies that he should be able to address using tariffs. If the Supreme Court disagrees, it's unclear how easily the White House could achieve their goals by other means. Or if Trump has to completely unwind this crucial pillar of his economic agenda and geopolitical strategy. It would also raise questions about the fate of tariff revenue that's been collected so far. According to Data collated by U.S. customs and Border Patrol, American businesses have paid the government almost $90 billion to cover the specific tariffs being challenged here.

[George Storr]

If the court rules against the president, it would seem as though the people who paid the tariffs, you know, U.S. companies, importers, are entitled to a refund. Exactly that happens, though may be complicated for multiple reasons.

[Shemitah Basu]

Trump has acknowledged that a ruling against him would mean that refunds could potentially be issued. A ruling against the administration could also impact the way in which it's used tariffs and the threat of them to negotiate with other countries. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant told CNBC yesterday there were, quote, other options, but he conceded they were cumbersome and less effective.

[Fox News Analyst]

It gives the US and the president the most negotiating authority. And again, this is a signature policy for the president. And traditionally SCOTUS has been loathe to interfere with these signature policies.

[Shemitah Basu]

Besant has acknowledged in court papers that the legal challenges have left some world leaders wondering about the president's authority on the matter, and countries have begun planning their domestic policy on the assumption of tariffs. Sticking around Just yesterday, Canada unveiled its federal budget that outlines new spending plans in response to Trump's policies. Storr said that the administration could have some pathways to continue with tariffs even with an unfavorable ruling.

[George Storr]

There's a lot of trade laws out there, so what we'll probably see is the administration trying to reimpose at least some of these tariffs using those different tools and the president continuing to say, oh, we can still slap you with tariffs. We just have to go through this other process.

[Shemitah Basu]

If Trump wins and the court disagrees with the plaintiffs, they could further legitimize his authority to regulate aspects of the economy without the input of Congress. Before we let you go, a few other stories we're following. A UPS plane crash has left at least seven people dead in Louisville, Kentucky. The cargo plane erupted into a fireball moments after takeoff. Reuters reports that authorities were forced to halt flight operations after several buildings near the Runway also caught fire after the crash. The Louisville airport is a global hub for the shipping company's air cargo operations and its largest package handling facility worldwide. Eleven people on the ground were left with significant injuries. An investigation is now underway to determine the cause. The government shutdown is now the longest in history, but lawmakers are starting to talk with a little more optimism than before. Republican Senator Mark Wayne Mullen suggested to NBC he was, quote, pretty confident of a deal this week and that Democrats had privately indicated they could vote for a short term funding bill, while Politico reports that up to a dozen Democrats now privately believe it's time to vote to reopen the government. A 14th vote failed yesterday with no change to the voting dynamics. Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned on Tuesday of mass chaos if the shutdown continues into next week and said he may be forced to close some airspace. And in a somewhat eerie mistake, the state of Maine's biggest healthcare system inadvertently sent condolence letters to more than 500 of its patients who are still alive, effectively informing them of their own death. Maine Health said the letters were the result of a computer error and apologized. The Guardian reports, when one woman who received a letter called MaineHealth to let them know about the error. An employee told her they were glad to hear she was alive and well. To which she responded, yeah, me too. You can find all these stories and more in the Apple News app. And if you're already listening in the News app, right now, we've got a narrated article coming up next. Rolling Stone reports on a company in Tennessee selling plots of land in the hopes of building a new town for conservative Christians. But even in a deep red state, the plan is raising eyebrows. If you're listening in the podcast app, follow Apple News Narrated to find that story. And I'll be back with the news tomorrow.