Voting continued Tuesday in what is being called New York City’s most heated mayoral election in decades — seen as a pivotal moment in America’s ideological and generational divide, especially within the Democratic Party.
Polls show Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani with a solid lead. If elected, Mamdani would become New York’s first Muslim mayor and, at 34, its youngest ever. His main challenger is former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who lost the Democratic primary to Mamdani in June but is now running as an independent. Republican Curtis Sliwa remains in the race, splitting the anti-Mamdani vote, despite last-minute pressure from Donald Trump to step aside and back Cuomo.
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Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani
(Photo: Reuters/REUTERS/Kylie Cooper, AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Polling places opened at 1 p.m. Israel time and will close at 4 a.m. Early turnout broke records with around 730,000 votes cast, nearly matching the city’s total from 2021. Final turnout could surpass 2 million — a level not seen since 1969.
While recent polls gave Mamdani a stable lead, a Monday survey by AtlasIntel narrowed his advantage to just 4.5 points — 43.9% for Mamdani, 39.4% for Cuomo, and 16.7% for Sliwa.
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Mamdani at the polling station in the Astoria neighborhood with his wife Rama Duwaji
(Photo: Leonardo Munoz / AFP)
Trump's threat and Mamadani's response
In a last-ditch effort to unify voters against Mamdani, Trump — a former New Yorker — formally endorsed Cuomo, warning that a vote for Sliwa was effectively a vote for Mamdani. “Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, calling Mamdani a “communist with no experience and a record of complete and total failure.” Trump also threatened to slash federal funding to New York if Mamdani wins, claiming the city would face economic and social disaster under his leadership.
Later Tuesday, Trump urged New York’s Jewish community — the largest outside Israel, with some 1.6 million residents — to rally behind Cuomo. “Any Jewish person that votes for Zohran Mamdani, a proven and self-professed Jew-hater, is a stupid person!!!” Trump wrote. Mamdani, who has denied accusations of antisemitism, quickly turned Trump’s support for Cuomo into a political asset, saying the endorsement proved Cuomo would serve Trump’s interests, not the city’s.
Voting in Astoria, his neighborhood in Queens, Mamdani said he would not be intimidated by Trump’s threats to defund the city. “Too often, we treat everything that comes out of Donald Trump’s mouth as if it is already legal, just by virtue of who is saying it,” he said. “I will not be intimidated by this president. I will not be intimidated by anyone, because my job here is to serve the people of the city.”
Mamdani after voting in New York: 'I will not be intimidated'
(Video: Reuters)
Cuomo, in turn, argued that he was best equipped to resist Trump’s policies, including mass deportations of undocumented immigrants and threats to deploy the National Guard in Democratic-run cities. “If you want President Trump to try to take over the city - national guard on streets, choking federal funding - vote for Mamdani,” Cuomo said. “The next Mayor has to be able to get us more, not ensure our demise. I am the only person in this race who can do that.”
A relative political newcomer, Mamdani surged from underdog to frontrunner after defeating Cuomo in the Democratic primary. In heavily Democratic New York, the primary winner usually takes City Hall. But Cuomo’s independent run, bolstered by support from outgoing Mayor Eric Adams, who dropped out in September, has closed the gap. Sliwa’s refusal to exit the race continues to complicate Cuomo’s chances of consolidating anti-Mamdani support.
Mamdani has campaigned on a progressive, socialist agenda, including free public transit, universal daycare and higher taxes on the wealthy. On foreign policy, he is a vocal critic of Israel, rejecting its identity as a Jewish state and accusing it of genocide in Gaza. While he initially declined to distance himself from pro-Palestinian chants calling to “globalize the intifada,” he later walked back the association. He also vowed to enforce the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, should he visit the city — though it’s unclear if a mayor would have the authority to do so.
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Early voting has already broken records; at a polling station in Queens
(Photo: Leonardo Munoz / AFP)
Mamdani’s opponents call him inexperienced and accuse him of making costly, unrealistic promises. His supporters, however, see him as a champion for working families and the marginalized. “We need a mayor who represents all kinds of New Yorkers,” said George Jones, 36, a voter in Queens. “Someone who will make this city a place where everyone can thrive.”
Democratic rift deepens as key elections are held in New York, Virginia and New Jersey
The New York City mayoral race is widely seen as a milestone in the Democratic Party’s internal struggle, with the party still searching for direction following its stinging loss to Donald Trump in last year’s presidential election. Zohran Mamdani’s meteoric rise from the far-left progressive wing has shocked party elders, many of whom declined to endorse him — including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York senator. Mamdani was arrested outside Schumer’s home days after the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre, during a protest accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. Some senior Democrats have backed Mamdani, though several have expressed discomfort with his anti-Israel stance.
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Mamdani marches with his supporters on the Brooklyn Bridge yesterday: 'Our time is now'
Other elections are taking place across the U.S. on Tuesday. Voters in Virginia and New Jersey are selecting new governors, while Californians are voting on a referendum backed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom that would allow him to redraw the state’s congressional districts — a direct response to Republican gerrymandering elsewhere. Newsom’s measure is expected to pass easily, potentially bolstering his standing ahead of a possible presidential run in 2028.
The races in Virginia and New Jersey are far closer — and are widely viewed as a referendum on the first nine months of Trump’s second term. In the U.K., Sky News referred to them as “a referendum on Trump 2.0,” highlighting their symbolic national significance.
In New Jersey, the race is especially tight. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy is term-limited after two terms. Vying to replace him are Democrat Mikie Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot and sitting House representative, and Republican Jack Ciattarelli, a businessman and former state legislator. Ciattarelli performed better than expected in the 2021 race, losing to Murphy by just three points. Current polls show a slight lead for Sherrill. Trump has thrown his support behind Ciattarelli, calling the election “the most important in the country” and declaring that “all eyes are on New Jersey.”
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Democrat Mikie Sherrill, a former pilot, is running for governor of New Jersey against Republican Jack Ciattarelli
(Photo: EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP, KENA BETANCUR / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)
In Virginia, polls predict a more comfortable win for Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former congresswoman, who is facing Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, the current lieutenant governor. The winner will become Virginia’s first female governor. Earle-Sears serves under outgoing GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who cannot seek re-election due to term limits. While Youngkin remains popular, Virginia typically leans Democratic, and Spanberger has campaigned on economic issues and the long federal government shutdown, which has severely impacted Virginia’s many federal employees — many of whom have gone unpaid and now face layoffs as Trump pushes for a sweeping civil service overhaul.
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Virginia Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger (right) and her Republican opponent Winsome Earle-Sears
(Photo: WIN MCNAMEE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP, Anna Moneymaker / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)
The outcome of these elections is expected to offer pollsters and analysts critical insights ahead of the 2026 midterms — particularly on whether Republicans can maintain control of both chambers of Congress. One key question: Can the GOP hold onto Trump’s winning coalition from last year — especially among young and Latino voters — without him on the ballot?
According to a CNN poll released Monday, Trump’s approval rating has dropped to 37%, his lowest of the year and near his all-time low of 36% during his first term. Still, public sentiment toward Democrats is also poor, raising doubts over whether they can turn voter dissatisfaction with Trump into actual votes. A separate Reuters/Ipsos poll found the electorate evenly split, with about half of respondents saying they would vote for Democrats and half for Republicans.