DemDaily: Election Updates: Where We’ve Won
September 19, 2025
Democrats swept the September primary and general elections, with wins in five major mayoral contests and two of 2025's congressional special elections.
| Although most mayoral elections are officially nonpartisan, 66 mayors in the nation's most populous 100 cities are affiliated with the Democratic Party. Twenty-three are affiliated with the Republican Party, one with the Libertarian Party, three are Independents, and seven identify as nonpartisan or unaffiliated. |
SEPTEMBER 2025
In the September 9 Virginia 11th Congressional District Special Election General, Fairfax County Supervisor James Walkinshaw easily won the seat held by his former boss, eight-term Democratic Congressman Gerry Connolly, who passed away May 21, 2025.
Walkinshaw defeated Republican Stewart Whitson by a 50-point margin, 74.78%-25.03%, in the Fairfax County-based district -- significantly "overperforming" expectations and previous Democratic election results.
Democratic Mayor of Boston Michelle Wu trounced her closest primary challenger, nonprofit executive and son of New England Patriots owner Josh Kraft (D), 72%-23%, in the September 9 primary. While the top two candidates in the nonpartisan primary advance to the general election in November, Kraft announced on September 11 that he was ending his campaign to "do what is right for this city" -- leaving Wu unopposed on the general election ballot.
In Cleveland, Ohio, where incumbent Democratic Mayor Justin Bibb is seeking a second term, the nonpartisan, top-two September 9 Primary election was cancelled after just two candidates filed for the ballot. Bibb and challenger LaVerne Jones Gore (R), a consultant and perennial candidate, go straight to a November face-off.
Charlotte, North Carolina incumbent Mayor Vi Lyles secured her party's nomination for a fifth term in office, winning the September 9 Democratic primary with approximately 71% of the vote against four challengers who received under 12.5%. Lyles will face Republican Terrie Donovan and Libertarian Rob Yates in the general election.
In Helena, Montana, two-term Democratic Mayor Wilmot Collins -- the state's first mayor of color, last reelected in 2021 with 67% of the vote -- is not seeking a third term.
In the September 9 nonpartisan primary election, Helena City Commissioners Andy Shirtliff (D) and Emily Dean (D), as the top two finishers at 48% and 37% respectively, moved on to the general election. The five-person contest was the city's first mayoral primary since 2001, triggered by a state law mandating one when five or more candidates run for a single position.
Director of Engagement for the Montana School Boards Association, Dean was first elected to the Commission in 2019 and has served as Mayor Pro Tem since August 2025. Shirtliff, who has served on the Commission since 2022, is Executive Director of the Montana Building Industry Association.
In the Annapolis, Maryland Mayoral election, incumbent Mayor Gavin Buckley (D), who was reelected to a second term in 2021 with 73% of the vote, is term-limited.
Unofficial results from the September 16 Democratic primary show former City Council Alderman Jared Littmann leading with 64% of the vote compared to 36% for Alderwoman Rhonda Pindell Charles.
Mail-in, drop box and provisional ballot counts will be completed by September 23, when all vote totals will be certified. The official winner will face businessman and former State House candidate Bob O'Shea, who was unopposed in the GOP primary.
| Democrats have so far won or overperformed in 43 out of 44 legislative and congressional special elections this year. |
Arizona's Seventh Congressional District Special Election General September 23 is expected to officially crown the successor to the late Raúl Grijalva (D), who served for 12 terms in Congress and passed March 13, 2025.
Former Pima County Supervisor Adelita Grijalva prevailed in the July 15 Democratic primary, securing a landslide 60.2% of the vote in the election to succeed her father. Grijalva, who will be the first Latina to represent Arizona in Congress, is heavily favored in the deep blue Tucson-based CD where she is facing Republican nominee Daniel Butierez next Tuesday.
Related
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DemDaily: The House Casualty Count! and Special Election Update 9/12/25|
DemDaily: The 2025 Election Calendar. Updates! 9/5/25
DemDaily: The Big Tent Party 8/29/25
DemDaily: Democrats Convene and Recommit in Midwest Meeting 8/26/25
DemDaily: Your Guide to the Democratic National Committee 8/22/25
DemDaily: Update on the Senate Landscape! 8/20/25
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Sources: WBUR, KTVA, Ballotpedia, New York Times, SignalCleveland, KTVH, Independent Record, Maryland Matters
