The Briefing with Jen Psaki

Episode: "Trump struggles to process blame for election 'thumping'"
Date: November 6, 2025 | Host: Jen Psaki | MSNBC

OVERVIEW

This episode of "The Briefing with Jen Psaki" dissects a historic night of Democratic victories nationwide, highlighting what the outcomes signal for both parties—especially in the wake of a "thumping" for Republicans. Jen Psaki hosts in-depth conversations with key newsmakers: Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, New Jersey Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill, and Senator Chris Murphy. The episode captures the mood of renewed Democratic momentum and explores Republican reactions, with a particular focus on former President Donald Trump's public efforts to deflect blame.

MAIN THEME

The episode’s theme is to analyze the sweeping Democratic wins in off-year elections, unpack the implications for both parties, and scrutinize attempts—most notably by Donald Trump—to spin or deflect responsibility for a significant Republican defeat.

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS & INSIGHTS

1. Democratic Wave Across the Nation

(00:49–07:34)

• Jen Psaki opens with a rundown of surprising Democratic victories in states and districts where Republicans had reason for optimism:
  • Virginia: Abigail Spanberger wins the governorship by 15 points (“biggest margin of any Democrat seeking that office in the last 60 years”), Ghazala Hashmi becomes lieutenant governor by 11 points, and Jay Jones wins Attorney General despite a scandal.
  • New Jersey: Mikie Sherrill wins the governor’s race by 13 points and flips counties Trump carried in 2024: “Sherrill improved upon Kamala Harris’ margin in every single one of the state’s 21 counties.”
  • New York: Zoran Mamdani beats Trump-backed Andrew Cuomo by 9 points, powered by youth turnout and small-dollar donors, despite heavy Super PAC spending against him.
  • State Legislatures and Ballot Initiatives: Democrats gain control in Virginia’s statehouse (first time in nearly 40 years), expand majorities in NJ, flip seats in Mississippi, and win significant referenda in places like California and Maine. In Georgia, Democrats flipped seats on the Public Service Commission.
  • Quote—Jen Psaki:

    “It was one of the best nights Democrats have had in a very, very long time. Which kind of begs the question, if you're a member of Donald Trump's Republican Party, how do you spin what everyone knows was an absolute thumping of your party?” (06:04)

2. GOP Reaction and Trump’s Deflection

(06:44–07:47)

• House Speaker Mike Johnson downplays Democratic wins, insisting it’s just “blue states voting blue,” ignoring Democratic breakthroughs in red and swing areas.

• Donald Trump blames the loss on the government shutdown and not being on the ballot:

  • Quote—Donald Trump:

    “If you read the pulses, the shutdown was a big factor. Negative for the Republicans, and that was a big factor. And they say that I wasn’t on the ballot was the biggest factor, but I don’t know about that.” (07:34)

• Jen rebuffs Trump’s narrative by citing exit polls showing 40% of voters in Virginia and New Jersey turned out specifically to oppose Trump.

3. Analysis: Why Did Democrats Win?

(07:47–09:54)

• Campaigns focused on kitchen-table issues: affordability, cost of living, government shutdown.
• Backlash against Trump’s “chaos,” abuses, and attempts to undermine democracy spurred turnout even in an off-year.
• Emphasis that “politics is supposed to be about joy, about believing in something, about being part of a bigger community.” (08:36)

INTERVIEW: Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro

(11:32–22:26)

a) Overall Results and Voter Message

(11:32–13:05)

• Josh Shapiro:

  “The American people sent two very clear messages…First, they voted for candidates that were there to solve their problems…Second, they sent a clear message to Donald Trump that they don’t want the chaos and they’re sick and tired of Donald Trump raising their prices and reducing their fundamental freedoms.” (12:22)

• Shapiro breaks down how Democrats flipped key swing counties that Trump won in 2024, crediting “smart, discerning” voters.

b) Trump’s Response and Rule of Law

(13:05–15:38)

• Shapiro notes Trump spent the day “ranting on social media” and ignoring reality.
• Points out that even in counties Trump won, Democrats “rejected his handpicked candidates.”
• On the Pennsylvania Supreme Court win:

  "Our rule of law matters. If we want to protect our democracy, we need judges who...act with integrity and respect the rule of law. Something Donald Trump doesn't understand." (15:02)

c) Looking Ahead—Democracy at Stake

(16:01–17:25)

• Expresses deep concern over Trump acting “even more unleashed than he was back then,” and surrounding himself with “sycophants.”
• Reminds listeners he went to court against Trump 43 times after the 2020 election and won every time.

d) Democratic Strategies and Party Future

(18:19–22:15)

• Shapiro highlights the unifying “through line” in winning Democratic campaigns: addressing voters’ immediate needs, lowering costs, and defending the rule of law.
• On Zoran Mamdani’s win, after earlier disagreements about his stance on anti-Semitism:

  “To Mamdani’s credit…he picked up the phone and called me, and we had a very long and honest conversation…I give him credit for this, he met people where they were. He listened to what mattered most to them, and he pledged to make change.” (20:27)

INTERVIEW: Governor-Elect Mikie Sherrill (New Jersey)

(24:11–33:40)

a) Landslide Victory Analysis

(24:11–25:45)

• Sherrill reflects on not just winning but outperforming expectations in every New Jersey county.

• Dramatic gains with Latino and Black voters, including a 22-point swing in Hudson and 18 points in Passaic.

• Quote—Mikie Sherrill:

  “There was a 22 point swing to the left in Hudson, an 18 point swing in Passaic County…We also saw…the working class suburbs coming out strong, a traditional Republican stronghold, Morris County, I just won…since Watergate.” (25:45)

b) Key to Success: Focus on Costs

(26:06–28:47)

• Sherrill attributes her success to relentlessly focusing on bread-and-butter issues—cost of living, groceries, health care, housing—“front and center in people's minds.”

• She warns against distraction by wedge issues and pressures to prioritize topics like immigration over daily economic struggles.

• Quote:

  "If it's keeping you up at night, as your governor, it's going to keep me up at night." (28:47)

c) Democratic Party’s Future

(29:11–30:58)

• On “who is the future of the Democratic Party?” Sherrill dismisses the notion of a single archetype:

  “There’s lots of people who are the future of the party. That’s the whole point.”

  • Emphasizes local focus and that “there is no one-size-fits-all”—contrasting the Democratic Party’s diversity with the “one person” rule in the GOP (Trump).

d) Fighting Trump’s Punishment—Gateway Tunnel

(30:58–32:41)

• Plans to fight Trump’s cancellation of the major Gateway Tunnel infrastructure project, emphasizing economic impact and job creation.
• Sherrill is preparing to “make a big pitch for how this area of the country can help get our economy back on its feet.”
• She has not yet spoken to Trump but expects the tunnel to be “front and center” when she does.

e) Personal Reflections

(33:09–33:40)

• Shares a behind-the-scenes anecdote about the energetic governor-elect text chain among herself, Abigail Spanberger (VA), and her friends/colleagues.

INTERVIEW: Senator Chris Murphy (Connecticut)

(38:45–44:41)

a) Shutdown Fallout and Democratic Backbone

(38:45–41:07)

• Murphy underscores that the shutdown and the healthcare premium hikes are clearly tied to Trump, stating:

  “All he has to do is sit down and negotiate for a couple hours and the shutdown could be over…We’re just saying don’t raise premiums on 22 million Americans.” (39:13)

• He cautions against Democrats caving after a wave of electoral wins for “finally standing up and fighting for our values.”

b) The Moral & Political Stakes

(41:07–42:32)

• Murphy shares a stark personal story from a constituent to highlight the shutdown's real-world impacts:

  “Who is going to lose her insurance and is going to have to decide whether she or her husband gets health care. They both have very complicated illnesses. They are deciding which one of them is going to survive to be able to take care of their four kids.” (41:48)

• He frames the choice as a false and painful tradeoff imposed by Republicans: “That’s a false choice. But the voters told us on Tuesday night that they want us to keep this fight up…”

c) Are Republicans Waking Up?

(43:02–44:22)

• Murphy notes Trump’s attempts to “blow up the Senate rules” were met with a “somewhat chilly reaction,” possibly signalling cracks in GOP unity.
• He argues Democrats are offering Republicans a political lifeline: “If I were a political advisor to Republicans, I’d tell them, cut this deal with Democrats, get the government open and operating and save people's health care…” (43:38)

NOTABLE QUOTES

• Jen Psaki:

  “It was a whirlwind of wins…Democrats won because of candidates who focused relentlessly on the issues that matter…They won because of a rising anger and outrage at the abuses of Donald Trump.” (09:00)

• Josh Shapiro:

  “Voters are smart, they’re discerning. And what they realize is they don’t like what Donald Trump is doing every day. This chaos he injects…it’s making us worse off.” (13:26)

• Mikie Sherrill:

  “The difference here is…the Republican Party, there is only one person that decides how this goes. And by the way, that person is really taking an economy that was...expanding…to now where college kids are worried about their job opportunities, where costs are going up everywhere…” (29:49)

TIMESTAMPS FOR IMPORTANT SEGMENTS

• Recap of Democratic Victories: 00:49–07:34
• GOP Blame and Trump’s Comments: 06:44–07:47
• Analysis of Democratic Strategy: 07:47–09:54
• Interview: Governor Josh Shapiro: 11:32–22:26
• Interview: Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill: 24:11–33:40
• Interview: Senator Chris Murphy: 38:45–44:41

MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• Jen Psaki’s breakdown of exit polls showing how many voters turned out explicitly to oppose Trump (07:47)
• Josh Shapiro recounting going to court 43 times against Trump—and winning every case (16:01)
• Mikie Sherrill’s anecdote about the all-woman governor-elect text chain on election night (33:09)
• Senator Murphy’s moral framing of Democrats’ government shutdown stance—tying it to real families’ daily choices (41:48)

CONCLUSION

This episode captures a palpable shift in political energy after Democrats’ across-the-board successes. Psaki and her guests underscore a central lesson: focused, local campaigning on the economic issues that matter most to families wins votes, even in unlikely places. The episode pulls back the curtain on Republican attempts to deflect blame, especially by Donald Trump, while highlighting the vulnerabilities now facing the GOP. The interviews drive home that a coalition-based, community-oriented Democratic Party focus—not a single ideological “future”—is powering a new era of politics as the battle lines shift toward 2026.