Trump admits election was 'not good for Republicans', says 'we learned a lot' after losses

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump conceded on Wednesday, November 5, that the latest round of elections “was not good for Republicans,” acknowledging that the ongoing government shutdown likely contributed to the party’s losses.

Speaking at a breakfast with Republican senators in the White House, Trump said that the pollsters pointed to the shutdown as a “big factor” in Democrats’ strong showing.

Trump says shutdown was a ‘big factor’ on poll outcome 

“I thought we'd have a discussion after the press leaves about what last night represented and what we should do about it,” Trump said. 

Trump said in his speech that the shutdown was a big factor that affected the poll outcome.

"If you read the pollsters, the shutdown was a big factor, negative for the Republicans, and that was a big factor," he said. 

"And they say that I wasn't on the ballot was the biggest factor. But I don't know about that but I was honored that they said that,” he added.

The president expressed concern about the impact of the longest shutdown in US history, saying that “countless public servants” were going unpaid and air traffic controllers were “under increasing strain.”

He called the shutdown disastrous and referred to Democrats as ''Kamikaze pilots."

"I think these guys are kamikaze. They’ll take down the country if they have to," he said.

“We must get the government back open soon, really immediately,” Trump said, adding that the shutdown was beginning to affect the stock market.

Calling Tuesday night’s results “interesting,” Trump said the elections had provided lessons for his party.

“It was very Democrat areas,” he said. “But I don’t think it was good for Republicans. I’m not sure it was good for anybody. But we had an interesting evening, and we learned a lot.”

Trump factor loomed large over the elections

Democratic wins across several key states gave the party a surge of optimism heading into next year’s midterm elections.

Victories in the Virginia and New Jersey governor’s races, the New York City mayoral contest, and a California ballot measure approving a Democratic-backed congressional map all reportedly signaled renewed momentum for the party.

Candidates like New Jersey’s Mikie Sherrill and Virginia’s Abigail Spanberger tied their campaigns to economic concerns and reportedly placed the blame for voters’ financial struggles squarely on Trump’s shoulders.

In California, 'Proposition 50', framed as a rebuke of Trump’s influence, passed with a majority.

Exit polls showed that Trump loomed large over the elections.

A majority of voters across the three states reportedly said that they viewed their ballots as a way to oppose him. 

Allegedly, Spanberger and Sherrill won nearly 40% of voters who explicitly said their votes were cast to reject Trump.

Zohran Mamdani says 'turn the volume up' to Trump

In New York, mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani used his victory speech to directly confront Trump, whose hometown he will soon lead.

“If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him,” Mamdani said to roaring applause in Brooklyn.

“So, if there is any way to terrify a despot, it is by dismantling the very conditions that allowed him to accumulate power," he added.

He ended with a pointed message: “So, Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: turn the volume up.”

Trump quickly posted a reaction on social media, writing, “...AND SO IT BEGINS!”