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Historic Gender Gaps Shape 2025 Election Outcomes in Virginia, New Jersey and Beyond
Women voters were the decisive force in the 2025 elections, driving sweeping Democratic victories across key states. Women turned out at higher rates than men and made up a majority of voters.
Historic gender gaps reshaped the political landscape:
—In Virginia, 65 percent of women voted for Democrat Abigail Spanberger for governor, compared to just 48 percent of men, a 17-point gender gap.
—In New Jersey, women backed Democrat Mikie Sherrill by 62 percent, compared with 49 percent of men, a 13-point gap that proved decisive in her win.
Together, the early data from this week’s elections reveal that support for women’s rights, reproductive freedom, gender equality and fair immigration policies powered a Democratic sweep this election season.
We’ve also curated the results of all the state-by-state election results that feminists most care about.
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Prop 50’s Resounding Victory Shows Activism Can Be Transformed Into Voting
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RFK Jr. Ignores 100+ Studies to Push Abortion Pill Ban—This Is the Mifepristone Explainer You Need
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Fighting MAGA Medical Disinformation: States Must Confront Trump’s War on Science and Reproductive Health
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‘Mife No Matter What’: Community Abortion Providers Pledge to Continue Sharing Free Abortion Pills, Even if FDA Imposes Restrictions
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Shattering the Silence on Domestic Violence (with Lauren Schuster and Chris Negri)
As we mark Domestic Violence Awareness month this October, we know there’s a long way to go when it comes to addressing the domestic violence crisis in our country. From pandemic-era spikes in violence to the Trump administration’s recent budget cuts and their impact on support for women and girls experiencing domestic violence, how are advocates and policy experts addressing the ongoing crisis?
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- Revisiting Obergefell: What’s at Stake for LGBTQ+ Americans
- Demolishing the East Wing Is Demolishing Women’s History
- The Future of Fair Representation: Inside Louisiana v. Callais
- The Gendered Toll of U.S. Immigration Policy
- Leaked Young Republicans Chat Exposes Deep-Rooted Racism and Hate Within the Party’s Ranks
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Murder, Pardons and Impunity: How Antiabortion Violence Escalated Under Trump [Part 1 of 4]
Her friend Melissa Hortman, a longtime Minnesota lawmaker, was murdered at home in June—shot by a man posing as a police officer who had also wounded two others and left behind a hit list of dozens of abortion-rights supporters. Among the names was Ruth Richardson, CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States. “It was one thing to get a threat; it’s another to have confirmed threats where you have a friend and colleague who is assassinated,” she told Ms.
This tragedy unfolded against a backdrop of federal retreat: Trump pardoned extremists convicted of clinic blockades and violence, and his Justice Department declared it would largely stop enforcing the FACE Act, the law meant to protect providers. Advocates warn these decisions have emboldened extremists, leaving abortion providers more vulnerable than at any time in decades.
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Immigrant and First-Generation Women Are Changing What Leadership Looks Like in America
Running for office in the United States has never been an even playing field. Women face steep hurdles including misogyny, difficulties raising money and building political networks, and shouldering the demands of family and work. On top of that, immigrant women often face increased barriers, contending with racism, xenophobia and constant doubts about whether they “fit the image” of a politician.
Men are usually assumed to be qualified. Women have to prove it—over and over again.
At New American Leaders, we prepare women to anticipate these double standards and to campaign with confidence and authenticity. NAL is women-led and stands as the only nonprofit, nonpartisan organization in the United States that trains and supports immigrants, children of immigrants and refugees for civic leadership or running for office.
(This essay is part of a collection presented by Ms. and the Groundswell Fund highlighting the work of Groundswell partners advancing inclusive democracy.)
