GEOFF BENNETT: Welcome to the "News Hour."

In the first major elections since# President Trump's return to .. Democrats celebrated wins from coast to coast.# New York City's next mayor will be Democratic## socialist Zohran Mamdani.

And two moderate# Democrats, Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger,## will be the next governors of New# Jersey and Virginia, respectively.

AMNA NAWAZ: Other wins went beyond the big races.# In Pennsylvania, voters kept three Democrats on## the state's Supreme Court.

In Albany, they elected# the city's first Black mayor.

All told, the## elections made history in many ways and were very# much a referendum on Mr.

Trump and his policies.

Our White House correspondent, Liz# Landers, leads our coverage tonight.

(CHEERING) LIZ LANDERS: For Democrats## across the country, a victory lap after#.. a clean sweep for the party in# major races from coast to coast.

ZOHRAN MAMDANI (D), New York# City Mayor-Elect: Hope is alive.

(CHEERING) LIZ LANDERS: Starting with big changes in the Big# Apple.

New York City saw t.. a mayoral election in more than 50 years, and# more than half of voters backed Zohran Mamdani.

ZOHRAN MAMDANI: New York, tonight you# have delivered a mandate for change.

(CHEERING) LIZ LANDERS: The self-styled Democratic socialist# makes hist.. and at only 34 years old, the youngest# person to serve in more than a century.## The mayor-elect beat back a challenge from# former Governor Andrew Cuomo, as well as## incredible pressure from President Trump, who has# threatened to cut federal support for the city.

ZOHRAN MAMDANI: So, Donald Trump,# since I know you're watching... LIZ LANDERS: The mayor-elect# took on the president directly.

ZOHRAN MAMDANI: If anyone can show a nation# betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him,## it is the city that gave rise to him.

(CHEERING) ZOHRAN MAMDANI: And if there# is any way to terrify a despot,## it is by dismantling the very conditions# that allowed him to accumulate power.

(CHEERING)# LIZ LANDERS: Across the river in New Jersey... MIKIE SHERRILL (D-NJ), Governor-Elect: And I# am incredibly honored to be your next governor.

(CHEERING) LIZ LANDERS: ... Democrat Mikie Sherrill won a#.. and Trump ally Jack Ciattarelli in a state the# president made significant gains in last year.

MIKIE SHERRILL: I have spoken with thousands of# you over this last year.

I know your struggles.## I know your hopes.

I know your dreams.

So serving# you is worth any tough fight I have to take on.

LIZ LANDERS: Sherrill's victory marks the# first time a political party has held the## governor's office in the Garden State for# three consecutive terms in more than 50 years.

It was a good night for# Democrats in Virginia as well.

ABIGAIL SPANBERGER (D-VA),# Governor-Elect: Adam said to## our daughters: "Your mom's going# to be the governor of Virginia."

(CHEERING) ABIGAIL SPANBERGER: And I can guarantee those words have#never been spoken in Virginia ever before.

(CHEERING) LIZ LANDERS: Abigail Spanberger will be# the state's first female governor.

As well,## her lieutenant governor, Ghazala Hashmi,## will be the first Muslim woman elected# to statewide office in the country.

And embattled candidate Jay Jones unseated# the incumbent Republican attorney general,## overcoming a scandal over violent# text messages he sent back in 2022## suggesting a formal lawmaker should be shot.# Nearly every county in the state shifted in## Democrats' favor from last year, helping usher# in a large majority in the state legislature.

Those races weren't the only# Democratic wins.

In Georgia,## Democrats flipped two seats on a commission that# regulates the state's utilities.

In Pennsylvania,## three Democrats on the Supreme Court will# keep their seats for 10 more years.

In Maine,## voters rejected a Republican-backed# effort to restrict voting access.

GOV.

GAVIN NEWSOM (D-CA): But what# a night for the Democratic Party.

LIZ LANDERS: The rising issue of redistricting# was also on the ballot clear across the country## in California.

Voters overwhelmingly approved# a new congressional map that could potentially## help Democrats win five additional# seats next year in the U.S.

House.## Republicans quickly filed a# lawsuit today to block it.

Governor Gavin Newsom launched the# redistricting effort just a few## months ago to push back on President# Trump and Republican redistricting## efforts that began in Texas and# expanded to several other states.

GOV.

GAVIN NEWSOM: This is a pattern.

This# is a practice.

Donald Trump's efforts to## rig the midterm election continue to this# day.

And, tonight, after poking the bear,## this bear roared with an unprecedented turnout in# a special election with an extraordinary result.

LIZ LANDERS: Speaking to Republican lawmakers# today, President Trump had a different takeaway.

DONALD TRUMP, President of the United States:# Last night, it was not expected to be a victory.## It was very Democrat areas.

But I don't think# it was good for Republicans.

I don't think it## was good.

I'm sure it was good for anybody.

But we# had an interesting evening, and we learned a lot.

If you read the pollsters, 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.

LIZ LANDERS: The Republican candidates# in both New Jersey and Virginia closely## aligned themselves with the# president.

But Trump did not## hit the campaign trail for either.

In# their concession speeches last night,## Republicans congratulated their Democratic# opponents, but were also unapologetic.

Virginia's candidate for# governor, Winsome Earle-Sears: LT.

GOV.

WINSOME EARLE-SEARS (R-VA), Gubernatorial# Candidate: Virginia is not a radical leftist## state.

And we will hold to account anyone who# tries to impose on us the ideology of the left.

LIZ LANDERS: The GOP tonight left# to reexamine their strategy, while## Democrats feel they may have discovered# a blueprint for a blue wave next year.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Liz Landers.