Vivek Ramaswamy's two humbling lessons for Republicans after Mamdani victory: 'Got our a**es handed to us'

As Democrats swept a trio of races on Tuesday, including the stunning victory by Zohran Mamdani in New York City's Mayoral polls, Republican leader Vivek Ramaswamy offered a humbling lesson to his party.

In a video on X, Ramaswamy admitted that the Republicans got their "a**es handed to them", saying that there are two important lessons in the defeat.

"We got our asses handed to us. In New Jersey, Virginia and New York City. Democrats swept all three. There are two lessons for Republicans. Listen carefully. No.1 - our side needs to focus on affordability. Make the American dream affordable. Bring down electric costs, grocery costs, healthcare costs and housing costs. And lay out how we are going to do it," he said.

The former Republican presidential candidate added that identity politics does not suit his party, saying that it is "woke Left game, not ours".

Lessons from tonight, no sugar coating. pic.twitter.com/CMZCIH4g2O

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) November 5, 2025

"And No.2: cut out the identity politics. It does not suit Republicans. It's not for us. That's the woke Left's game, not ours. We don't care about your color or religion. We care about the content of your character. That's who we are," he said.

The advice comes hours after Democrats pulled off a string of victories in the first major elections in US since Donald Trump regained the presidency.

In New York City, Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist, won the mayoral race, capping a meteoric and unlikely rise from an anonymous state lawmaker to one of the country's most visible Democratic figures. And in Virginia and New Jersey, moderate Democrats Abigail Spanberger, 46, and Mikie Sherrill, 53, won their elections for governor with commanding leads, respectively.

Tuesday's contests offered a barometer of how Americans are responding to Trump's tumultuous nine months in office. The races also served as a test of differing Democratic campaign playbooks ahead of 2026, with the party locked out of power in Washington and still trying to forge a path out of the political wilderness.

(With inputs from Reuters)