At least 15 incumbents lost in the state legislative elections in New Jersey and Virginia, with six New Jersey contests still uncalled as of 4:30 p.m. EST on Nov. 5. That’s the most general election incumbent defeats in an odd year since 21 were defeated in 2011. All 15 defeated incumbents were Republicans.

Twelve Republican incumbents lost re-election in Virginia, where Democrats expanded their majority by 13 seats, going from 51 to 64 seats in the 100-member chamber. That tied 2017 for the most incumbents defeated in the chamber’s elections since 2011. This was the first time Democrats retained an existing House majority after the general elections since 1997.

Ballotpedia identified 23 Virginia House districts as battleground elections. Heading into the elections, Republicans controlled 18 to Democrats’ five. After the elections, Democrats control 18 to Republicans’ five.

At least three incumbents lost in New Jersey, where six races remain uncalled. At least one incumbent lost in every general election for the General Assembly since 2011, except in 2017. Five General Assembly incumbents were defeated in each of the previous two general elections leading up to 2025.

The 15 incumbent defeats so far represent a 15% increase from 13 in 2023. It also means at least 8.9% of the 168 incumbents who ran in the general election between the two states were defeated, or 10.1% of the 149 who were contested. An average of 4.3% of incumbents who ran in odd-year general elections between 2011 and 2023 lost re-election.

This year’s elections also marked the first time any odd-year state legislative general election since 2011 produced only Republican incumbent losses and no Democratic incumbent losses. The reverse did happen in 2021, when 14 Democratic incumbents and no Republican incumbents lost in the general elections.

Together with the three incumbents who lost in the New Jersey primaries earlier this year, a total of 18 incumbents were defeated in 2025. So far, that’s below the average of 23 total in odd years since 2011. Only two years produced fewer incumbent losses: 2017 (14 total losses) and 2013 (seven total losses).