Consequential State Elections to Watch In 2025
After a long, contentious and gutting election cycle in 2024, many people are taking solace in the fact that we have at least two years before diving into the madness that will be the 2026 midterm elections.
But a handful of off-year state elections taking place next year are just as important — offering a view into what voters might do in 2026 to help determine the future of their respective states.
Here’s a look at the races we’re keeping an eye on in 2025.
New Jersey
The Garden State’s Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy’s term-limited tenure comes to an end next year, which means a heated race to be the state’s next governor. Though New Jersey is a solidly blue state — with Democrats controlling all chambers of state government — President-elect Donald Trump’s stronger than expected performance in the 2024 general election likely means a tidal wave of GOP funding is headed to help whoever the Republican nominee is.
But before that happens, there’s already a crowded field of nominees in both parties that are likely to be on the primary ballots. According to Politico, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller and former state Senate President Steve Sweeney have all declared their candidacy for the Democratic nomination.
On the Republican side, Jack Ciattarelli — who lost to Murphy in the 2021 gubernatorial election — is running again, against state Sen. Jon Bramnick, former state Sen. Ed Durr and Bill Spadea, a conservative morning radio host.
To make things even more interesting, a 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling to block New Jersey’s longtime “County Line” ballot design — which put the party-backed candidates at the top of the ballot — means that certain candidates won’t have the advantage they’re used to for the primary election.
New York
Mayoral elections don’t usually gain national attention. But when the city is New York and the mayor is the embattled, indicted Eric Adams, the whole country is ever-so-curious about the election. Adams is up for reelection in 2025, amid a federal corruption charge and widespread disapproval of his administration.
And there’s no shortage of challengers to Adams. As the New York Times reports, state Sen. Jessica Ramos, city comptroller Brad Lander, state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, former city comptroller Scott Stringer and state assemblyman Zohran Mamdani have all declared their candidacy to unseat Adams. And then there’s another rumored candidate: disgraced former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Pennsylvania
Off-year judicial elections in Pennsylvania don’t usually gain national traction. But when partisan control of the Democratic-majority state Supreme Court is on the ballot, you can expect a lot of attention — and money — on the election for three seats on the seven-seat court. In Pennsylvania, partisan state Supreme Court justices are elected to 10-year terms; when that term is up, they can either retire or run for reelection in a retention election. Should a majority of voters oppose their retention, their seat opens up for an election. Three Democratic Justices — Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht — are all up for a retention election in 2025.
There’s a lot at stake for the retention of these three justices: cases determining the future of abortion access, gun control and climate change in the commonwealth are currently being considered by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Should the majority flip from Democratic to Republican control, it could have a significant impact on the lives of Pennsylvanians for the next decade.
Virginia
Like New Jersey, Virginia’s governor is term-limited, meaning Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) isn’t eligible to run for reelection in 2025. And, also much like New Jersey, the typically solid blue state saw Trump gain unexpected gains in the 2024 election.
With Democrats in control of the state legislature, all eyes will be on Virginia in 2025, which is often seen as a bellwether for the next federal election cycle. Right now, the race to succeed Youngkin is narrow: Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R) is seeking the Republican nomination, while U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D) is the only current candidate for the Democratic nomination.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is another state set to have what’s sure to be a contentious and expensive state Supreme Court race in 2025. The court has a thin 4-3 liberal majority, which could flip with the election to replace retiring Justice Ann Walsh Bradley. The current race is between Dane County Judge Susan Crawford and former Republican state Attorney General — and current Waukesha County judge — Brad Schimel. Supreme Court justices in Wisconsin are elected for 10-year terms.
The 2023 state Supreme Court race in Wisconsin — where liberal Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz defeated former state Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly — drew national attention and tons of money. Shortly after the election, the new liberal majority overturned the state’s ban on drop boxes. With more critical issues involving abortion access, voting rights and democracy sure to come up in the Badger State, this state Supreme Court election is poised to be as critical as the last one.