Mamdani\u2019s unlikely rise gives credence to Democrats who have urged the party to embrace more progressive, left-wing candidates instead of rallying behind centrists in hopes of winning back swing voters who have abandoned the party.<\/p>\n
It was one of three victories by Democrats in high-profile races for elective office that were being viewed as a gauge of public sentiment toward President Trump in his second term. In California, voters approved Gov. Gavin Newsom\u2019s Proposition 50, a redistricting measure aimed at boosting Democrats\u2019 chances in the midterm elections.<\/p>\n
In New Jersey, Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill was elected New Jersey governor over Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who was endorsed by Trump.<\/p>\n
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New Jersey Democratic Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill speaks during an election night party in East Brunswick, N.J., on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
(Matt Rourke \/ Associated Press)<\/p>\n
Sherrill, a 53-year-old Navy veteran who represented a northern New Jersey district in the U.S. House for four terms, will be the state\u2019s second female governor.<\/p>\n
Democrat Abigail Spanberger won the Virginia governor\u2019s race, defeating Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears to give Democrats a key victory heading into the 2026 midterm elections and make history as the first woman to lead the commonwealth.<\/p>\n
Spanberger, 46, is a center-left Democrat and former CIA case officer who helped her party win a House majority during Trump\u2019s first presidency.<\/p>\n
Economic worries were the dominant concern as voters cast ballots for Tuesday\u2019s elections, according to preliminary findings from the AP Voter Poll.<\/p>\n
The results of the expansive survey of more than 17,000 voters in New Jersey, Virginia, California and New York City suggested the public was troubled by an economy that seems trapped by higher prices and fewer job opportunities.<\/p>\n
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Supporters celebrate during the election night watch party for Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger as she is projected to win the race at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.<\/p>\n
(Alex Wong \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Mamdani has already faced scrutiny from national Republicans, including Trump, who have eagerly cast him as a threat and the face of what they say is a more radical Democratic Party.<\/p>\n
The contest drove the biggest turnout in a mayoral race in more than 50 years, with more than 2 million New Yorkers casting ballots, according to the city\u2019s Board of Elections.<\/p>\n
Mamdani\u2019s grassroots campaign centered on affordability, and his charisma spoiled Cuomo\u2019s attempted political comeback. The former governor, who resigned<\/a> four years ago after allegations of sexual harassment that he continues to deny, was dogged by his past throughout the race and was criticized for running a negative campaign.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also the question of how Mamdani will deal with Trump, who threatened to take over the city<\/a> and to arrest and deport him if he won. Mamdani was born in Uganda, where he spent his early childhood, but was raised in New York City and became a U.S. citizen in 2018.<\/p>\n New Yorkers celebrate as NY1 projects Zohran Mamdani the winner in the mayoral election at the Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden on Tuesday.<\/p>\n (Jeremy Weine \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n Mamdani, who was criticized throughout the campaign for his thin resume, will now have to begin staffing his incoming administration before taking office next year and game out how he plans to accomplish the ambitious but polarizing agenda that propelled him to victory.<\/p>\n Among the campaign\u2019s promises are free child care, free city bus service, city-run grocery stores and a new Department of Community Safety that would send mental health care workers to handle certain emergency calls rather than police officers. It is unclear how Mamdani will pay for such initiatives, given Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul\u2019s steadfast opposition to his calls to raise taxes on wealthy people.<\/p>\n His decisions around the leadership of the New York Police Department will also be closely watched. Mamdani was a fierce critic of the department in 2020, calling for \u201cthis rogue agency\u201d to be defunded and slamming it as \u201cracist, anti-queer & a major threat to public safety.\u201d He has since apologized<\/a> for those comments and has said he will ask the current NYPD commissioner to stay on the job.<\/p>\n Mamdani\u2019s campaign was driven by his optimistic view of the city and his promises to improve the quality of life for its middle and lower classes.<\/p>\n But Cuomo, Sliwa and other critics assailed him over his vehement criticism of Israel\u2019s<\/a> military actions in Gaza. Mamdani, a longtime advocate of Palestinian rights, has accused Israel of committing genocide and said he would honor an arrest warrant the International Criminal Court issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.<\/p>\n New York Independent mayoral candidate former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo votes at the High School of Art and Design on Tuesday in New York City.<\/p>\n (Alexi J. Rosenfeld \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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