34-year-old democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani secured a historic victory on Tuesday, winning the New York City mayoral race and becoming the first Muslim mayor of the largest U.S. city. Mamdani defeated former Democratic Governor and independent candidate Andrew Cuomo, who had lost the primary to Mamdani. The campaign highlighted both generational and ideological divides, with potential national implications for the Democratic Party. Meanwhile, in Virginia, Democrat Abigail Spanberger won the gubernatorial race, becoming the state’s first female governor. In New Jersey, Democrat Mikie Sherrill also won the governor’s seat. These three races offered the Democratic Party a test ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, focusing largely on economic issues and affordability. Mamdani ran as a progressive and a new-generation voice, while Spanberger and Sherrill represented the party’s moderate wing. President Donald Trump’s policies also influenced voters, including threats to fire federal employees and freezes on key infrastructure funding like the Hudson River train tunnel. 25-year-old first-time voter Juan Benitez said he supported all Democratic candidates in Virginia, citing opposition to Trump’s immigration policies and the federal government shutdown. Voter turnout high In California, voters were deciding whether to grant Democratic lawmakers the authority to redraw the state’s congressional map, intensifying a nationwide battle over redistricting that could shape which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives after next year’s midterm elections. Former President Donald Trump criticized the vote on social media, calling it a “scam” and implying it was rigged, without providing evidence. Voter turnout appeared strong across multiple states. In New York City, more than 2 million ballots were cast, including early votes, marking the highest participation in a mayoral race since 1969. Early voting in Virginia and New Jersey also surpassed 2021 totals. Mamdani has championed ambitious progressive policies in New York, such as freezing rents for nearly a million apartments and making city buses free. While Tuesday’s results offer a snapshot of voter sentiment, experts caution that they are not necessarily predictive of next year’s midterms. “There’s nothing that’s going to happen in Virginia or New Jersey that will tell us much about a congressional district in Missouri or a Senate race in Maine,” said Republican strategist Douglas Heye. For Republicans, these elections tested whether the voters who propelled Trump to victory in 2024 will turn out in races where he is not on the ballot. Candidates like Ciattarelli and Earle-Sears, running in Democratic-leaning states, faced a difficult balancing act: criticizing Trump risked alienating his base, while embracing him too strongly could drive away moderate and independent voters. Trump remains unpopular: 57% of Americans disapprove of his job performance, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed. But Democrats are not gaining support as a result, with respondents evenly split on whether they would favour Democrats or Republicans in 2026.
Zohran Mamdani elected New York City’s first Muslim mayor following remarkable political rise
