MARK PENN: Democrats roar back in 2025 elections with Spanberger, Sherrill, Mamdani wins

Democrats came back strong in the 2025 elections, which is no surprise given widespread voter dissatisfaction with the economy and the political system in general. Democratic-leaning areas that went Republican in 2024 returned to the party this year.

Part of the lesson is that moderate candidates do well with influential voters, and the Democrats certainly had two serious contenders, Abigail Spanberger, elected governor of Virginia, and Mikie Sherrill, elected governor of New Jersey. Both have military experience, and neither is remotely close to being a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.

President Donald Trump was not on the ballot, but Republicans inherited a difficult situation from the Biden administration. Most voters believe the economy remains weak and that they are stuck in an inflationary spiral — one that may be lower than it was under Biden, but is still their main concern.

ABIGAIL SPANBERGER SEALS HISTORIC VIRGINIA VIRGINIA, ENDING THE GLENN YOUNGKIN ERA OF THE GOP

What’s interesting is that current inflation and affordability concerns stem from overspending by a Democratic administration. Yet New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a high-tax, big-spending candidate, says he will solve the problem by repeating the same policies, taken to the extreme.

Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani won the New York mayoral race against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa on November 4, 2025. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

It was massive spending on unnecessary “free” programs that caused the prices to skyrocket—probably not a cure—but Democrats don’t seem to be paying the price. Voters seem to believe that more government handouts are the answer, losing sight of the fact that such policies are the root cause of the very problems they face today.

New York City is going to embark on its socialist experiment, and the question is how it will succeed.

Former New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent for mayor in the general election, fought hard, but New York Democrats generally support their party’s candidate, making it difficult to win as an independent.

THE HIDDEN REASON NEW YORKERS VOTED FOR A SOCIALIST – AND IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK

Trump’s shouting and support clearly helped reduce Curtis Sliwa’s vote to just 7%, but Cuomo needed more Democrats. Mamdani won over more than 70% of young voters. More importantly, Black and Hispanic voters who supported Cuomo in the primaries returned to the Democratic line in the general election — and that’s what put Mamdani in the lead Tuesday night.

Republican candidate for mayor of New York, Curtis Sliwa, campaigns on November 2, 2025 in the Manhattan borough of New York. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)

In white, Catholic and working-class neighborhoods, Cuomo performed well. He won the East Side of Manhattan decisively and won most of the West Side as well. But Upper Manhattan remained solidly blue for Mamdani.

As Ed Koch said upon his defeat: “The people have spoken…and they must be punished.” »

Independent New York mayoral candidate, former Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, arrives to vote on Election Day at the High School of Art and Design on November 4, 2025 in New York. (Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

THE TRUE COST OF THE 2025 ELECTIONS

The big problem now for the Democratic Party is how far left it will drift under the influence of democratic socialists who are gaining ground within the party and are accepted by much of its leadership.

Democratic candidate for Virginia governor, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, kisses her husband Adam after being declared the winner of the Virginia gubernatorial race before her election night party at the Greater Richmond Convention Center on November 4, 2025, in Richmond, Virginia. Spanberger defeated Republican gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears to become the first female governor in the history of the Commonwealth. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The DSA program is far removed from mainstream democratic values, with calls for open borders and the abolition of private property.

Tellingly, Mamdani didn’t even run on the Democratic line. The party welcomed this faction, but we must not forget that in 1972 and 1984 it was reduced to winning a single state.

Mamdani will likely prove a gift to Republicans, and the 2028 presidential primaries could become a defining battle for the leadership of the Democratic Party. Yet socialists often start with promises of free goods and services, only to see those ideas collapse.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS REVIEWS

Importantly, the left crafted voting rules in New York – moving the primaries to late June and allowing ranked-choice voting in the primaries, where left-leaning voters get a second vote, but not enforcing them in the general election, preventing Republicans from supporting a moderate alternative.

New Jersey Democratic Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill speaks at an election night event in East Brunswick, New Jersey, Tuesday, November 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

However, to be fair to Mamdani, he had a clear message, a strong organization and sufficient funding. His smile and charm seemed to mask his inexperience and extremely anti-Israeli views.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

While none of the elections offered to Democrats on Tuesday night were a surprise, the predictability itself underscores that unless Trump and the Republicans revamp their strategy to win back undecided voters, politics is returning to the norm of punishing entrants with leavers and Democrats are determined to fight back with everything from government shutdowns to aggressive redistricting. They don’t seem to be paying the price for these measures, even after years of denouncing government shutdowns and gerrymandering.

On Tuesday night, Democrats proved they still have a lot of fighting left to do — and that without Trump on the ballot to energize Republicans, Democratic candidates, whether moderate or extremist, can take their voters home.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM MARK PENN