Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old Democratic Socialist, won the New York City mayoral race on Tuesday, capping a meteoric rise from a little-known state legislator to one of the most visible Democratic figures in the country.
According C.B.S.Mamdani received 677,615 votes (49.6 percent) to 568,488 (41.6 percent) for former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and 108,377 (7.9 percent) for Curtis Sliwa.
Mamdani will become the first Muslim mayor of America’s largest city. He defeated former Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, 67, who ran as an independent after losing the nomination to Mamdani in the primary election. The campaign served as an ideological and generational contest that could have national implications for the Democratic Party.
Trump had made a last-minute intervention in the race, calling Mamdani a “Jew hater.”
Mamdani was born in Uganda to a family of Indian origin and has lived in the United States since the age of seven, becoming naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2018.
In Virginia, Democrat Abigail Spanberger easily won the gubernatorial election, becoming the first woman elected to that office, while Democrat Ghazala Hashmi won the race for lieutenant governor of Virginia, becoming the first South Asian to hold state office in the state and the first Muslim woman elected to state office in the United States. And in New Jersey, Democrat Mikee Sherrill won the governor’s race.
The election offered the embattled Democratic Party a test of different campaign strategies a year before the 2026 midterms, when control of Congress will be at stake.
Since US President Donald Trump’s victory last year, Democrats have found themselves locked out of power in Washington and struggling to find the best path out of the political wilderness.
Reacting to the Republican losses, Trump cited unspecified pollsters who attributed the loss to the current government shutdown and Trump not leading the vote.
“’TRUMP WAS NOT ON THE BALLOT AND THE LOCKOUT WERE THE TWO REASONS WHY REPUBLICANS LOST THE ELECTION TONIGHT,’ according to pollsters,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Former US President Barack Obama congratulated the Democratic candidates who won, calling it a reminder that “when we rally around strong, forward-thinking leaders who care about the issues that matter, we can win.”
“We still have a lot of work to do, but the future looks a little better,” he said.
Ghazala Hashmi becomes first Muslim woman to win state office in US
Hashmi defeated Republican writer and conservative talk show host John Reid in the race for Virginia lieutenant governor on Tuesday. Hashmi maintained a steady lead over Reid throughout the campaign, although the polls tightened in the final days before Election Day. He obtained 747,773 votes (53.8 percent) against 659,421 (46.4 percent) for his Republican rival.
In early June, Hashmi narrowly clinched the Democratic nomination, defeating former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney and state Sen. Aaron Rouse in a close primary.
Hashmi, a member of the party’s progressive wing, had strong support from prominent figures such as Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, who endorsed her during the primary campaign.
Born in Hyderabad, India, Hashmi moved to the United States in her youth and later earned a doctorate in English from Emory University. He began his career in academia, teaching English for more than two decades at Virginia community colleges before turning to politics.
Her election to the state Senate in 2019 marked her as the first Muslim woman to serve in the Virginia legislature, a milestone she has now extended to statewide office.
Democrat Spanberger defeated Republican Earle-Sears in the Virginia governor’s race, flipping control of the state and making her the first woman to serve as the state’s governor.
Spanberger, a former congressman and CIA officer, maintained a steady lead over Earle-Sears for most of the campaign, fueled by strong fundraising and strong support in the state’s suburban counties. His victory gives Democrats a significant boost as they seek to regain their political standing following their losses in the 2024 national elections.
Spanberger, 47, focused his campaign largely on economic and affordability issues, as well as public safety and his support for abortion rights. Her campaign and allied groups attacked Earle-Sears for her conservative record on social issues and her loyalty to Trump. Earle-Sears, 61, struggled for much of the race to find a coherent message.
“We send a message to the world that in 2025 Virginia chose pragmatism over partisanship,” Spanberger said in his victory speech. “We choose our Commonwealth over chaos.”
“You all elected leadership that will relentlessly focus on what matters most: reducing costs, keeping our communities safe, and strengthening our economy for all Virginians,” he said.
On the other hand, Democrat Sherrill won the election for governor of New Jersey. Sherrill, a U.S. representative and former Navy pilot, defeated Republican Jack Ciattarelli and will succeed Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy. It is the first time since the 1960s that New Jersey voters have elected governors of the same party to three consecutive terms.
