In a surprising turn, many counties in California, including Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Inyo, Fresno, Merced, Butte, Nevada, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus, were carried by the GOP after decades of Democratic control.
For example, San Bernardino favored Trump with 51.2% of the votes, compared to Harris’s 46.4%. Meanwhile, Orange County narrowly carried the day for Trump, with 48.9% of the votes, while Harris received 48.4%. While Harris won the state with a large margin, she did so less convincingly than Joe Biden.
Similarly, several tight congressional races, including those led by Republicans Michelle Steel, Ken Calvert, Mike Garcia, and Scott Baugh, remain undecided. These data points to he fact that California may soon be considered a battleground state.
Other historically Blue states, such as New Jersey, have experienced the same trend. As we reported, Kate Gibbs was recently appointed Executive Director of the NJGOP on July 21, 2025, and she has announced her intention to turn New Jersey red.
Reacting to her nomination, Gibbs said, “I’m proud to be serving as the New Executive Director of the NJGOP!” adding, “Under Chairman Glenn Paulsen’s leadership, we’re taking the fight straight to the New Jersey Democrats.”
She promised to work with Paulson to challenge Democrats and enhance election integrity with RNC support, saying, “[We are] building a better ground game and working hand-in-hand with the RNC to protect election integrity throughout our state.”
Local media, including The New Jersey Globe, reported a seismic shift in voter registration, with Democrats at 37.6%, unaffiliated at 37%, and Republicans at 24.3%. The paper reported, “[The state’s political makeup is now] 37.6% Democratic, 37% unaffiliated (sometimes called independents), and 24.3% Republican.”
Continuing to criticize the Democratic leadership of his state, he noted, “These people truly feel that they are getting the short end of the stick: their businesses, they are overtaxed; their homes, they are overtaxed. They feel the economic burden.”
Rounding out his comments, he pointed to a significant shift toward Trump among racial minorities. He reported, “[There has] definitely [been] a major shift from Democrat to Trump in areas that have significant Hispanic and African American populations.”
Asking a pertinent question, he pondered if these results reflect Trump’s support or dissatisfaction with Kamala Harris and the Democratic brand. Murray explained, “But in New Jersey and in other states like New York, a lot of Democrats just sat on their hands and didn’t vote.”
Continuing his analysis, he stated, “There is no question that the Democratic brand is not as strong as it has been in the bluest areas of the country, and that includes New Jersey. Was [the lack of Democratic voter mobilization in 2024] an endorsement of Donald Trump or a statement about Kamala Harris and the party in power?”
