While most states did not switch from their incumbent party, there were some wins that the Democrats achieved. The Democrats were able to find wins in both Virginia and New Jersey, changing Virginia from red to blue. Virginia had been under Republican control with Governor Glenn Youngkin, but with this recent election, Democrat Abigail Spanberger won the race- making the state a blue state and making history as Virginia’s first female governor. New Jersey on the other hand, might not have flipped from a red to a blue, but stayed a blue state by a larger number than anticipated, with governor Mikie Sherrill beating Jack Cittaralli.
In New Jersey, the democratic win might not have been a flip, but was still meaningful to the Democrats that voted for her, especially due to the presidential backing of her opponent. Her campaign focused on affordability and stability, similar to Spanberger’s message in Virginia.
These results may also give hints about what could happen in the next presidential election. With the Democrats having a high win rate this year, it could suggest that some voters may be shifting their opinions on whether they want a democrat or a republican in the white house. These results don’t necessarily guarantee anything, nor is the presidential election anytime soon, but in the Democrats eyes, this is seen as a small victory that could lead to something bigger.
On the other hand, Republicans can use these outcomes to adjust their plans for the future. Republicans may need to see why the voters voted for the Democrats, and shift their perspectives on how they can improve from these results, as they highlight how the people in their states feel and they can now understand what the people hope for as a state and overall as a country. The Democrats and Republicans had very different strategies and the Democrats were the ones who pulled through.
Mikie Sherill won the New Jersey election with a focus on issues that she thought her audience wanted and wished for New Jersey to have. According to the Washington Post Mikie Sherill says “The reason I was so focused on affordability issues is because my communities are focused on affordability issues and how they’re going to be successful”. All of these governors won these elections because they focused their concerns on what they believe there voters were wishing for and what they wanted to see in there states.