By — Lisa Desjardins Lisa Desjardins Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-key-takeaways-from-the-2025-elections Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH LIVE: Key takeaways from the 2025 elections Politics Nov 4, 2025 2:21 PM EST It’s the first major Election Day of Trump’s second term in the White House. While this is an off election year, there are a number of key races to watch: Virginia: Governor and attorney general are on tap, along with House districts 21 and 22, which could determine control of Virginia’s House of Delegates. Live results here. Pennsylvania: Three state Supreme Court justices are on the ballot, an opening for changing the balance of the court. Live results here. New Jersey: The bid for governor could be a close race. Live results here. New York City: This mayor’s race has made national headlines with New York Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (Democrat), former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (independent) and Republican Curtis Sliwa on the ballot. Live results here. Maine: Voters are weighing a statewide vote on a red flag gun measure. California: Proposition 50 would redraw congressional district maps. Live results here. Join PBS News’ Lisa Desjardins and Liz Landers at 11 a.m. EST Wednesday for a live conversation about this year’s election results. Have questions? Submit them here. Election Day this year coincides with a government shutdown poised to break the record for longest in U.S. history. President Donald Trump has lent support to Republicans in several key races. Here are three more specific things we are watching. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. 1. Northern Virginia Many know the suburbs outside of Washington, D.C., as a blue spot in the state. That is true in many places, but Northern Virginia is also where President Donald Trump gained ground in 2024. The University of Virginia’s Center for Politics found the suburban and exurban counties in Northern Virginia swung 8 points to the right in 2024. Back then, Trump was on the ballot. Now that he is in the White House, do the numbers swing again? In addition, watch for any separation between Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger and Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones. Jones has been enmeshed in a scandal surrounding text messages he sent in 2022 in which he explicitly suggested a political rival should be shot. This is a test for Democrats in Northern Virginia. Do they vote for the party, given that recent development of three-year-old texts? Or does the state closest to the Jan. 6 attack decide things have gone too far? Live Results: Virginia 2025 gubernatorial election 2. California turnout Watch for the results of Proposition 50, which could allow Democrats to pick up as many as five congressional seats in the state via remapping of district lines. In this contest, pay close attention to turnout. This ballot measure has attracted at least $100 million — and perhaps $200 million by San Francisco Examiner’s count — in campaign spending. How motivated are Democrats in the state not only to vote, but to vote against their previous commitment to nonpartisan maps? Live Results: California 2025 election on Proposition 50 3. Hispanic areas in Virginia and New Jersey Both parties understand that Hispanic voters are one of the fastest-growing parts of the population. Democrats and progressives want to regain their footing here. Watch for results from some of the areas with the largest Hispanic populations. In Virginia: Prince William County. In New Jersey: Passaic and Hudson Counties. A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now By — Lisa Desjardins Lisa Desjardins Lisa Desjardins is a correspondent for PBS News Hour, where she covers news from the U.S. Capitol while also traveling across the country to report on how decisions in Washington affect people where they live and work. @LisaDNews
It’s the first major Election Day of Trump’s second term in the White House. While this is an off election year, there are a number of key races to watch: Virginia: Governor and attorney general are on tap, along with House districts 21 and 22, which could determine control of Virginia’s House of Delegates. Live results here. Pennsylvania: Three state Supreme Court justices are on the ballot, an opening for changing the balance of the court. Live results here. New Jersey: The bid for governor could be a close race. Live results here. New York City: This mayor’s race has made national headlines with New York Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (Democrat), former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (independent) and Republican Curtis Sliwa on the ballot. Live results here. Maine: Voters are weighing a statewide vote on a red flag gun measure. California: Proposition 50 would redraw congressional district maps. Live results here. Join PBS News’ Lisa Desjardins and Liz Landers at 11 a.m. EST Wednesday for a live conversation about this year’s election results. Have questions? Submit them here. Election Day this year coincides with a government shutdown poised to break the record for longest in U.S. history. President Donald Trump has lent support to Republicans in several key races. Here are three more specific things we are watching. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. 1. Northern Virginia Many know the suburbs outside of Washington, D.C., as a blue spot in the state. That is true in many places, but Northern Virginia is also where President Donald Trump gained ground in 2024. The University of Virginia’s Center for Politics found the suburban and exurban counties in Northern Virginia swung 8 points to the right in 2024. Back then, Trump was on the ballot. Now that he is in the White House, do the numbers swing again? In addition, watch for any separation between Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger and Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones. Jones has been enmeshed in a scandal surrounding text messages he sent in 2022 in which he explicitly suggested a political rival should be shot. This is a test for Democrats in Northern Virginia. Do they vote for the party, given that recent development of three-year-old texts? Or does the state closest to the Jan. 6 attack decide things have gone too far? Live Results: Virginia 2025 gubernatorial election 2. California turnout Watch for the results of Proposition 50, which could allow Democrats to pick up as many as five congressional seats in the state via remapping of district lines. In this contest, pay close attention to turnout. This ballot measure has attracted at least $100 million — and perhaps $200 million by San Francisco Examiner’s count — in campaign spending. How motivated are Democrats in the state not only to vote, but to vote against their previous commitment to nonpartisan maps? Live Results: California 2025 election on Proposition 50 3. Hispanic areas in Virginia and New Jersey Both parties understand that Hispanic voters are one of the fastest-growing parts of the population. Democrats and progressives want to regain their footing here. Watch for results from some of the areas with the largest Hispanic populations. In Virginia: Prince William County. In New Jersey: Passaic and Hudson Counties. A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now