WASHINGTON, DC– In case you missed it, Elect Democratic Women (EDW) supported candidates in successful elections in New Jersey, Virginia, and Texas on Tuesday. Additionally, the California ballot initiative to fight back against Republican efforts to gerrymander Congressional seats overwhelmingly passed with EDW’s support.
New Jersey and Virginia Gubernatorial Races
Former EDW members and Governors-elect Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia overwhelmingly won their elections on Tuesday night. Both Sherril and Spanberger were elected to the House of Representatives in 2018, as part of the first class of Congresswomen endorsed and supported by Elect Democratic Women. EDW supported both in all their Congressional campaigns and their gubernatorial races this year. See below for coverage on Sherril’s and Spanberger’s victories:
- CNN: Spanberger and Sherrill were roommates on Capitol Hill. They’re now making history in their states
Six years ago, Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill were roommates and freshman members of Congress, part of a record-breaking wave of women who helped Democrats win back the US House. On Tuesday, the two made history once more. CNN projected that Spanberger will be Virginia’s first female governor and Sherrill will be the first Democratic woman elected as governor of New Jersey.
- The 19th: Mikie Sherrill will be New Jersey’s next governor
Sherrill was elected to Congress as part of a group of centrist Democrats with backgrounds in the military and national security. Other members of that group have risen in House leadership roles or been elected to higher office — Elissa Slotkin won a U.S. Senate seat in Michigan in 2024, and former Rep. Abigail Spanberger won Virginia’s gubernatorial race Tuesday. - Associated Press: Abigail Spanberger elected Virginia governor in a historic first that boosts Democrats ahead of 2026
Spanberger’s win was the first in a big night for Democrats in Virginia and around the country, casting new doubts about President Donald Trump’s political strength less than a year into his second White House term. “We sent a message to every corner of the commonwealth, a message to our neighbors and our fellow Americans across the country,” Spanberger told supporters Tuesday night in Richmond. “We sent a message to the whole world that in 2025, Virginia chose pragmatism over partisanship. We chose our commonwealth over chaos.”
Texas 18th Congressional District Special Election
In the TX-18 special election, EDW-endorsed candidate Amanda Edwards advanced to a runoff special election.
Democrats Christian Menefee and Amanda Edwards advanced to a runoff Tuesday night in a special election for [the TX-18] U.S. House seat. “It’s not enough to me just for us to fight back against the attacks waged by our president,” Edwards said, speaking to supporters after polls closed. “We must do that and forge a path for our future.”
California Prop 50
EDW supported California’s Prop 50 efforts to fight back against Republicans’ efforts to gerrymander Congressional seats ahead of the 2026 midterms. The new California map opens up more opportunities for Democratic women candidates to run for Congress.
- Associated Press: California voters approve new US House map to boost Democrats in 2026
The approval of Proposition 50 gives Democrats a shot at winning as many as five additional seats, just enough to blunt Texas Republicans’ move to redraw their own maps to pick up five GOP seats at Trump’s urging. Texas’ move and California’s response have kicked off a flurry of redistricting efforts around the country, with Republican states appearing to have an edge. Deeply blue California is Democrats’ best opportunity to make up seats.
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Elect Democratic Women is a political organization led by current members of Congress, focused on electing more Democratic women to Congress. Since its inception in 2018, EDW has raised over $38 million and supported more than 200 women candidates.