Beau of The Fifth Column
The Roads to the election's biggest winner and loser (neither were on the ballot) (1)
09 Nov 2025
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Well, howdy there, Internet people. It's Belle again. And welcome to The Roads with Belle. Today is November 6th, and today we're going down the roads to what 2025 means for 2026. This week, Democrats swept elections in the first real electoral test since Trump took office. We're going to hit the major races and then pull out what we can for the future.
And then we'll talk about how both the biggest loser and biggest winner of the night weren't on the ballot.
Mamdani, who Trump tried desperately to defeat to the point of even backing Cuomo over a Republican candidate, celebrated his victory by saying, quote,
Chapter 2: What significant events occurred in the recent elections?
If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him. And if there is any way to terrify a despot, it is by dismantling the very conditions that allowed him to accumulate power. This is not only how we stop Trump, it's how we stop the next one.
Mamdani is New York City's first Muslim and South Asian mayor-elect, which, of course, has brought out the bigots by the brigade to make ridiculous 9-11 comparisons and talk about how women New Yorkers will have to be covered from head to toe.
So, as the years go by, and the women of New York are still wearing calf-high boots and sheer shirts and cute little black dresses and so on, just remember the total drama queen alarmists. Abigail Spanberger led a trifecta win in Virginia, where Democrats captured the governors, lieutenant governors, and the attorney general's office. She said, quote,
We sent a message to the whole world that in 2025, Virginia chose pragmatism over partisanship. We chose our commonwealth over chaos. You all chose leadership that will focus relentlessly on what matters most, lowering costs, keeping our community safe, and strengthening our economy for every Virginian. Tonight, we turn to Paige.
Fox News indicated that Spanberger achieved her blowout victory because a majority of people in Virginia disapprove of Trump. I'm sure he'll take that well. If it makes him feel any better, exit polls suggest that it wasn't disapproval of Trump that led to her win. It was the economy and how bad it was for the average person right now. And, I mean, yeah, that's Trump. Anyway, moving on.
Democrat Mikey Sherrill, who won the governor's race in New Jersey, told her supporters, quote, We're going to follow Lady Liberty's beacon. We're not going to give in to our darker impulses. Here in New Jersey, we know that this nation has not ever been, nor will it ever be, ruled by kings. We take oaths to a constitution, not a king.
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Chapter 3: Who were the biggest winner and loser in the elections?
She graduated from the Naval Academy and was a helicopter pilot before entering politics. Her campaign focused heavily on affordability, which, again, the economy. In California, Trump telegraphed his belief that he was going to lose by rambling about how it wasn't fair and alleging irregularities on social media. He did lose, bigly.
Proposition 50, also known as the Election Rigging Response Act, got 63% yes votes. That sets the stage for California to redistrict and respond to Trump's gerrymandering campaign. And that brings us to the biggest winner. It's Newsom. Newsom gets the credit for the Prop 50 win. After the win, Newsom said, quote, We stood, stood firm in response to Donald Trump's recklessness.
And tonight, after poking the bear, this bear roared with unprecedented turnout in a special election with an extraordinary result. So, why does the Prop 50 win matter so much? There's the obvious name recognition and a demonstration that he can lead the Democratic Party in political maneuvering. But beyond that, it creates a situation where he gets free press and praise for years.
The odds are that it will lead to four or five additional Democratic seats in the U.S. House of Representatives from California. What happens if Democrats obtain a House majority of four or five seats? Newsom becomes the man who stopped the Trump agenda.
And every time there's a close vote, we'll all remember, and if we don't, we'll be reminded by those in the media, that without Newsom, Trump would have been about to pass whatever harebrained scheme he comes up with next. Trump's Orphan Starver 2000 machine won't get funded because Newsom got the additional seats.
If Democrats get a narrow majority in the House, I'd be shocked if Newsom isn't the next Democratic nominee for president. Who's the biggest loser? Trump, obviously. In a recent video, I called him Scrooge McTrump, a reference to a famous duck. Trump might not just share similar economic beliefs, but this election very well might have made Trump a duck, a lame duck.
Republicans just saw the reaction to Trumpian policies. Vulnerable Republicans might realize that another year of following Trump's lead on everything very well might end their political careers. As soon as Republicans start to break with Trump on a frequent basis,
He loses his power because he can't control the House or the Senate if there are Republicans choosing to look out for their constituents instead of worrying about obeying Trump. Just a few people crossing the aisle ends his ability to steamroll things the way he has been.
Now, in any other timeline, this election would be a massive warning sign to the Republican Party and his lame duck status would be guaranteed. But in this one, they might try to ignore it and hope that things will work out in the end. That's going to be the deciding factor in whether or not Trump becomes a lame duck this week.
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