Lucas: Though not on ballot, Trump took a beating
In a striking turn of events during the recent elections, Donald Trump, despite not being on the ballot, faced significant setbacks as Republican candidates he endorsed suffered losses across key states, including New York, New Jersey, Virginia, and California. Notably, in New York City, Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani triumphed in the mayoral race, which Trump attempted to influence by endorsing independent candidate Andrew Cuomo, stating he preferred a “bad Democrat” over a “Communist.” This election cycle highlighted the growing political divide and the challenges facing Republicans in traditionally blue states, as Trump’s endorsements failed to translate into victories for candidates like Jack Ciattarelli in New Jersey and Winsome Earle-Sears in Virginia, both of whom lost to their Democratic opponents.
The election results also underscored the effectiveness of former President Barack Obama’s campaign efforts compared to Trump’s passive endorsements. Obama actively supported Democratic candidates Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger, both of whom won their races and reclaimed control for Democrats in their respective states. In Virginia, Spanberger’s victory was particularly significant as it allowed Democrats to regain control from Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin, while Sherrill will succeed term-limited Governor Phil Murphy in New Jersey. The Democrats’ success was bolstered by their strategic focus on Trump, with candidates leveraging his controversial legacy to rally support and energize their bases, demonstrating that the former president’s influence remains potent, even when he is not directly campaigning.
Furthermore, the passage of California’s Proposition 50, aimed at redistricting to diminish Republican congressional districts, added another layer of defeat for Trump and his allies. Governor Gavin Newsom’s initiative was a direct response to Republican gerrymandering efforts in Texas, and its approval signals a robust Democratic strategy moving forward. As Trump commented on the election outcomes, attributing the losses to his absence and external factors, it became clear that the Republican Party faces an uphill battle in maintaining relevance and support in an increasingly polarized political landscape. The results serve as a reminder that while Trump remains a central figure in Republican politics, his endorsements alone may not be sufficient to secure victories in the face of organized opposition and changing voter sentiments.
Donald Trump may not have been on the ballot, but he got clobbered anyway.
He lost everywhere — in New York City, in New Jersey, in Virginia and in California.
Granted Trump did not personally campaign for the losing Republican gubernatorial candidates in New Jersey or Virginia, or for Andrew Cuomo, an independent, in New York City, but he endorsed them, whether by name or by party. And they all lost.
In the New York mayoral contest, which Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani won handily, Trump in his support of Andrew Cuomo said he’d rather see a “bad Democrat” (Cuomo) as mayor than a “Communist” (Mamdani).
And while he took no strong public role in California, Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Proposition 50 plan to gerrymander the state midterm to wipe out Republican congressional districts, its passage was also a setback for Trump and the Republicans.
The proposition was proposed by Newsom to counter a similar midterm redistricting plan in Texas which favors the Republicans. Newsom is considered by some to be a viable candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028.
Despite his endorsement, Democratic gubernatorial candidates Mikie Sherrill beat Republican Jack Ciattarelli in New Jersey and Abigail Spanberger defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in Virginia.
Trump endorsed both Ciattarelli and Earle-Sears (but not by name) but did not actively campaign for them.
Meanwhile, former President Barack Obama, who has been accused of having no political coattails, not only endorsed Sherrill in New Jersey and Spanberger in Virginia but actively hit the campaign trail for them.
While Obama did not officially endorse the controversial Mamdani, he did telephone him just before the election. While the conversation was not made public, in a statement obtained by the Times, Mamdani spokesperson Dora Pekec said that “Zohran Mamdani appreciated President Obama’s words of support and their conversation on the importance of bringing a new kind of politics to our city.”
It also gave the shrewd Obama the option of denying any endorsement in the event Mamdani lost.
The Spanberger victory in Virginia gives Democrats back control of the state currently run by Republican Glenn Youngkin, who was term-limited.
Sherrill, meanwhile, will succeed Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy in New Jersey, who was also term-limited.
Both Spanberger and Sherrill attacked Trump throughout their campaigns as though Trump were on the ballot, as did Mamdani in New York and Newsom in California.
While both New Jersey and Virginia are Democratic majority states, Republicans hoped for upsets, especially in New Jersey.
But it was not to be.
Ciattarelli ran worse than he did four years ago when he was beaten for governor by Murphy.
Democrats in Virginia even narrowly elected Democrat Jay Jones for attorney general over Republican incumbent Jason Miyares, who Trump also endorsed.
Jones is known for his sick text messages that he wanted to shoot Todd Gilbert, then-Virginia GOP House Speaker. “Three people, two bullets,” he texted in 2022, “Gilbert, hitler, pol pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.” Virginia Democrats elected him anyway.
While Jones apologized for the texts, he could have also warned politicians not to text late at night, something Trump does regularly, which he also did following Tuesday’s election results.
The president posted: “Trump was not on the ballot and (government) shutdown were the two reasons that Republicans lost election tonight.”
Trump might have added that they lost because he was too busy running the country and the world to campaign for them.
There is no Trumpism without Trump.
Veteran political reporter Peter Lucas can be reached at: peter.lucas@bostonherald.com
