Trump responds to Mamdani’s NYC win, says Republicans lost because 'he wasn’t on the ballot'

US President Donald Trump has attributed the Republican Party’s latest electoral setbacks to two factors — his name not being on the ballot and the ongoing government shutdown.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “TRUMP WASN’T ON THE BALLOT, AND SHUTDOWN, WERE THE TWO REASONS THAT REPUBLICANS LOST ELECTIONS TONIGHT,” referencing pollster analysis to support his claim.




His remarks came after Democrat Zohran Mamdani was elected Mayor of New York City, making history as the first South Asian and Muslim to lead America’s largest city.

Mamdani, 34, had been the frontrunner for months and defeated Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent. Cuomo had secured Trump’s endorsement only on the eve of the vote. Mamdani, who earlier unseated Cuomo in the Democratic primary, officially clinched victory in June.

Also read: “Turn the volume up”: Zohran Mamdani delivers direct challenge to Trump after NYC mayoral win

In another key race, Democratic Representative Mikie Sherrill won the New Jersey governor’s contest, defeating a Trump-backed Republican candidate. Her win offered Democrats a timely morale boost ahead of next year’s midterm elections.

Sherrill, a 53-year-old former Navy helicopter pilot and federal prosecutor, led Republican Jack Ciattarelli by 57% to 42% with 63% of votes counted, according to the Associated Press, Bloomberg reported. She will succeed Democratic Governor Phil Murphy, who was ineligible to seek a third term.

The report noted that Sherrill’s victory marks the first time in six decades that a single party has won three consecutive gubernatorial races in New Jersey.