President Trump on Wednesday acknowledged Republicans’ poor Election Day results, suggesting the ongoing government shutdown was part of the reason Democrats secured major victories in New Jersey, Virginia and elsewhere.
“Last night, it was not expected to be a victory. It was very Democrat areas. I don’t think it was good for Republicans,” Trump said in remarks to GOP senators. “I’m not sure it was good for anybody. But we had an interesting evening, and we learned a lot.”
Trump argued polls shows the shutdown, which Wednesday set a record for the longest in history, “was a big factor, negative, for the Republicans.” He also suggested his absence on the ballot was a factor.
An NBC News poll published Sunday found 52 percent of voters blame Trump and Republicans for the shutdown, while 42 percent blame Democrats.
Democrats won gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia, as well as downballot races in Virginia. Democrats also won key races in Pennsylvania and Georgia, and democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayoral race despite a last minute plea from Trump for voters to back former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat who was running as an independent after losing in the primary.
The president did not campaign in New Jersey or Virginia ahead of Tuesday’s elections. He backed Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican candidate for governor of New Jersey, but did not explicitly endorse Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R) in her bid to lead the Old Dominion.
Trump summoned Republican senators to the White House on Wednesday to discuss the election results and the shutdown, where he ramped up his calls for the GOP to eliminate the filibuster and begin passing legislation with a simple partisan majority.
The White House and Republicans, who maintain narrow majorities in the House and Senate, have been adamant that lawmakers should pass a “clean” continuing resolution that funds the government at current levels into November.
Democrats have balked at that idea as they push for commitments to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year. Without an extension, health care premiums for millions of Americans will spike.