Democrats sweep the first major elections of Trump’s second term
Live: Expert analysis
As we wait for Mamdani to speak, the crowd is chanting "DSA DSA!" for the Democratic Socialists of America, who helped power this campaign. Big cheers for the Working Families Party also.
And now Trump, on Truth Social, adds a to-do list for Republicans: "Pass Voter Reform, Voter ID, No Mail-In Ballots. Save our Supreme Court from 'Packing,' No Two State addition, etc. TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER!!!"
It sure does, Steve. For a party searching for a leader, he will be leading the pack — for now, at least.
And the Newsom 2028 chatter grows a little bit louder...
Moments after polls close, CNN projects California voters approve of new district maps drawn by Democrats and intended to net them 5 additional seats in the US House.
And even Cuomo had kinder words for Mamdani tonight. I noticed he offered to help Mamdani's campaign as they transition.
I just spoke with NY AG Letitia James as she was making her way around the Mamdani party. She told me she credits Mamdani with growing the city’s electorate by record margins — "A giant in New York City has awoken," she said.
Definitely, Dana, particularly with an overwhelming Democratic night in the Virginia House of Delegates.
And Jeff — don't forget that with a Dem win in Virginia, they are poised to redistrict now. Could be 2-3 seats.
Perhaps not presumptuous to celebrate — so they don't forget how — but certainly some would argue that it could be presumptuous to read too much into the results of off-year elections on both coasts.
At the same time, Jeff, Democrats shouldn't get ahead of themselves. They won governorships in two deeply blue states and had to sweat out a race for New York City mayor against subpar competition. Is it presumptuous for them to celebrate?
And to carve out more GOP seats, Republicans may have made some districts tighter. A wave election in 2026 could potentially swing even more seats to Democrats.
As we await the California results on redistricting, a smart Republican tells me that tonight's results could be a warning sign — even in deep-red Texas — for the fallout from the new maps. Was it a wise idea to draw new districts based on Trump 2024 results alone? Or will it spark surprises next year?
What you need to know
• Big wins for Democrats: The party dominated the first major elections of Donald Trump’s second presidency, with key wins in Virginia, New Jersey, New York City and California, building momentum heading into the 2026 midterms. Zohran Mamdani will win New York City’s mayoral race, CNN projects, while Abigail Spanberger will flip control from Virginia GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Rep. Mikie Sherrill will defeat Trump ally, Jack Ciattarelli. Voters in California will approve Democrats’ redistricting push.
• Historic firsts: Mamdani will make history as New York City’s first Muslim mayor, the first South Asian to hold the office and one of the youngest mayors elected in modern times. Spanberger will become Virginia’s first female governor and Sherrill will become New Jersey’s first female Democratic governor. Democrat Ghazala Hashmi is projected to become the nation’s first Muslim woman elected statewide.
• Test for Trump: Tonight’s elections were seen as the first major electoral tests of the second Trump presidency. In a social media post this evening, Trump blamed GOP losses on the government shutdown and his absence from the ballot.
CNN Projection: California will approve redistricting push to create more Democrat-friendly US House districts
California voters will approve Gov. Gavin Newsom’s push to redraw the state’s congressional maps, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, boosting the national Democratic Party’s efforts to win control of the US House next year.
The measure will allow Democrats to replace congressional lines drawn by the state’s independent commission with new ones that make five US House seats more favorable for the governor’s party.
President Donald Trump launched a national redistricting battle ahead of next year’s midterms, seeking to prevent Democrats from winning control of the House for the last two years of his administration.
Proposition 50’s passage is a personal success for Newsom, a term-limited governor who has positioned himself as one of the president’s most aggressive adversaries ahead of a possible 2028 presidential run.
Newsom invested significant political capital betting that voters would be willing to undermine the state’s independent redistricting commission to push back against the Trump administration.
Schumer, who did not endorse Mamdani, congratulates projected mayor-elect
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York congratulated Zohran Mamdani on his projected win in the New York City mayoral race, calling it a “well-earned & historic victory.”
Schumer notably did not endorse Mamdani, the Democratic nominee in the race, which also included Andrew Cuomo, the former Democratic governor who ran as an independent after losing to Mamdani in the primary, and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
In photos: Mikie Sherrill celebrates her win
Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill will win the race for governor in New Jersey, CNN’s Decision Desk projects.
Sherrill, who will be the first female Democratic governor in the state’s history, defeated Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli, a former state assemblyman who made his third run for governor.
It’s 11 p.m. ET and polls are closing in California
Polls are closing in California, where voters had their say on a new congressional map that aims to produce up to five additional Democratic seats in the House.
Here’s a look at how we got here:
The congressional map was a direct rebuke of the recently passed Texas map that could help Republicans win five more seats in 2026.
As Texas kicked off the national redistricting frenzy under pressure from the White House, California Gov. Gavin Newsom launched a redistricting effort of his own in response, with state Democrats proposing a map of their own in the middle of the Texas fight.
The state legislature quickly passed the map, but because California’s state constitution grants map-drawing powers to an independent commission, voters would need to approve the change.
With the new maps in Texas and California likely to counteract each other, the redistricting war has spread, with states like Missouri, North Carolina, Virginia, Indiana and Illinois either redrawing their maps or considering it.
Cuomo congratulates Mamdani, urging his supporters not to boo
Andrew Cuomo promised to unite behind Zohran Mamdani, who is projected to win the New York City mayoral race, even through shouts and boos from his supporters as he conceded tonight.
“Congratulations to Zohran Mamdani,” Cuomo said, cut off by a chorus of boos from the crowd.
“That’s not right, that’s not us,” he said, responding to the outpouring of jeers.
Cuomo calls his campaign for mayor “the right fight to wage”
Andrew Cuomo called his unsuccessful bid for New York City mayor “the right fight to wage” and said he is proud of his campaign.
“This campaign was to contest the philosophies that are shaping the Democratic Party, the future of this city and the future of this country,” Cuomo said after CNN projected Zohran Mamdani’s victory.
Cuomo thanked his team and applauded outgoing Mayor Eric Adams, whom he says “stepped out of the race to make us more competitive.”
“That was a very gracious thing to do,” he said.
He also went on to note the high voter turnout in the city and the over 40% of people who cast their ballots for him.
The former New York governor said that after the primary elections, he “made it a real race when the media had already commenced a coronation.”
“And feel proud because we fought our hearts out and we left it all on the field,” he said.
Trump blames GOP losses on government shutdown and his absence from the ballot
President Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform tonight to distance himself from disappointing results for Republicans on the ballot.
The president endorsed New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli during the state’s GOP primary earlier this year and held tele-rallies for candidates in New Jersey and Virginia in the lead up to the elections, though he stopped short of explicitly endorsing Republican Winsome Earle-Sears in the Virginia governor’s race.
And, in an 11th-hour post Monday, Trump urged his supporters to back former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo over Republican Curtis Sliwa and Democrat Zohran Mamdani in the city’s mayor’s race.
Ciattarelli, Earle-Sears and Cuomo all lost their respective races, according to CNN projections.
The president quickly turned his attention to more promising numbers, writing shortly after that his Sunday interview with “60 Minutes,” “was the highest rated 60 Minutes IN YEARS!”
According to Variety, Trump’s interview scored the newsmagazine its highest rated episode since the January 10, 2021, edition, which focused on the January 6 US Capitol insurrection.
Ocasio-Cortez says a takeaway from Mamdani's victory is leaning "in to a diverse, working class electorate"
Progressive New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told CNN that Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the New York City mayoral race shows that Democrats should “lean into a diverse, working class electorate.”
Another takeaway, she added, is, “We don’t have to be afraid of the future and we don’t have to be afraid of our young.”
Ciattarelli concedes, saying "nobody is more disappointed than I am"
Republican gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli conceded his third race for governor, telling disappointed supporters he called and “gave her my very best wishes.”
As Ciattarelli revealed he called projected winner Rep. Mikie Sherrill to congratulate her, attendees in the crowd loudly booed.
“Nobody is more disappointed than I am, but I’m proud of the efforts my team that are here tonight,” Ciattarelli said.
Ciattarelli recounted his middle class upbringing, one in which he says his parents never had to worry that they couldn’t provide a comfortable life for him and his siblings.
Ciattarelli, who spoke off the cuff without a teleprompter or notes, said he will “analyze” the results over the next weeks and months to determine “what we could’ve done differently” but ended his campaign “proud of all of you, for what you did for this campaign.”
Jeffries celebrates Democrats' sweeping victory: "Affordability was on the ballot"
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries weighed in on Democrats’ wins in key races across the country, telling CNN that his party won on the issue of affordability.
Jeffries added that voters sent a clear message to Republican leaders.
“The American people are saying, ‘You have failed us. You promised to lower the high cost of living’.”
Jeffries added that Democrats are “going to stay the course, stay focused on the issues that matter for the American people.”
Ahead of polls closing in California, where a Democratic-led measure on redistricting is on the ballot, the minority leader was confident that Democrats can clinch another victory.
CNN Projection: Maine will pass ballot referendum enacting red flag law
Maine will become the 22nd state to pass a “red flag” law that will allow family members of an individual at risk of harming themselves or others, in addition to law enforcement, to petition the court to temporarily take away their weapons or bar them from buying new ones, according to a projection from CNN’s Decision Desk.
Maine already has a unique “yellow flag” law on the books, which requires law enforcement to place a person at risk under protective custody and have them undergo a behavioral health assessment before being able to petition the court to take away weapons. This law will not be repealed but will exist alongside the new red flag law.
CNN Projection: Maine voters reject ballot initiative requiring photo ID to vote in person and by mail
Maine voters will reject a ballot initiative that would have required them to present photo ID to cast a ballot both in person and by mail, according to a projection from CNN’s Decision Desk.
The initiative, which would have gone into effect in January ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, would have required Maine voters to present a photo ID at the polls. It would also have required a photo ID to request an absentee ballot and eliminated two days of absentee voting.
Obama weighs in on big night for Democrats
We’ve heard from former President Barack Obama, who hit the campaign trail and airwaves to back Democrats in several of tonight’s key contests.
Obama wrote this on X a short time ago:
Sherrill applauds Ciattarelli for “stepping up” and vows to work with communities while celebrating win
New Jersey Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill celebrated her win in an address to supporters at an event following the announcement of her projected victory.
She vowed to “build prosperity for all of our citizens” and claimed that liberty in the state “seems at risk.”
“I’m going to work with communities from the ground up,” Sherrill said.
Democrats sweep major elections in Virginia, New Jersey and New York City
Democrats have taken home victories in every major race that we’ve been covering tonight, building momentum heading into the midterms in 12 months time.
Here’s a look at the CNN’s projections so far:
- Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani won the race for New York City mayor. The 34-year-old’s success marks a victory for the progressive wing of the Democratic Party at a time when national Democrats are divided over how to counter President Donald Trump, who had threatened to pull federal funds from the city if Mamdani was elected.
- In Virginia, Democrat Abigail Spanberger will become the first woman governor after defeating Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. And Democrat Ghazala Hashmi will win the lieutenant governor’s race to become the nation’s first Muslim woman elected to statewide office.
- Also in Virginia, Democrat Jay Jones defeated the incumbent Republican Jason Miyares for attorney general, overcoming the emergence of violent text messages.
- Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill beat Republican Jack Ciattarelli in New Jersey’s governor race.
- Democrat Corey O’Connor will become the next mayor of Pittsburgh while incumbent Aftab Pureval, a Democrat, will win reelection to a second term as mayor of Cincinnati, beating Vice President JD Vance’s half-brother,.
- In Pennsylvania, Democrats defended the liberal majority on the state Supreme Court, blocking GOP efforts to flip the balance of power ahead of the next presidential election.
Coming up in California: California voters will decide if they want to adopt a new congressional map. Democratic leaders hope will help their party win five more seats and help protect the party’s narrow majority in the House ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Polls close at 11 p.m. ET.
CNN Projection: Democrats defend Pennsylvania Supreme Court majority in a race with 2028 implications
Pennsylvania Democrats defended the liberal majority on the state Supreme Court Tuesday, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, blocking GOP efforts to flip the balance of power ahead of the next presidential election.
Justices Kevin Dougherty, Christine Donohue and David Wecht were retained for new 10-year terms. They faced no opponents, only a yes-or-no vote on whether to extend their tenures on the state Supreme Court.
If even two of the justices had been voted out, liberals could have lost their 5-2 majority on the state’s high court, giving Republicans a chance to flip the ideological balance in replacement elections in 2027.
That could have had significant implications for the court’s approach to potential election litigation around the 2028 presidential election after it played a key role in both 2020 and 2024, as well as the next round of congressional redistricting.
Both parties mounted aggressive campaigns around the retention vote, directing millions of dollars to the state while flooding voters’ screens and mailboxes.
Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, a potential 2028 contender himself, cut an ad in support of the three Democratic justices, while the state’s wealthiest individual, conservative megadonor Jeff Yass, organized an extensive field and advertising campaign through his organizational network.
Earle-Sears says she called Spanberger to tell her to "consider all of us Virginians"
Winsome Earle-Sears, whom CNN has projected will lose her bid for Virginia’s governorship, said she called Democratic Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger to ask her to “represent all of us.”
Earle-Sears said Spanberger did not answer and her message was delivered via voicemail.
“No, no, no, she doesn’t have to answer. I think she’s busy,” Earle-Sears said.
In Spanberger’s victory speech, she did just that, vowing to serve all Virginians — even those who voted for Earle-Sears.
Ciattarelli has called Sherrill to concede NJ governor's race
In New Jersey, Republican gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli has called Democrat Mikie Sherrill and conceded the race, a source familiar with the matter says.
CNN projected that Sherrill would win the race earlier tonight.
Ciattarelli's HQ did not have TVs to show results, so supporters learned what happened from their phones
Supporters of Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli who have gathered at his election night party slowly learned the projection of his defeat in the race for New Jersey governor by reading or watching the news on their phones.
From the start of the evening, Ciattarelli’s campaign headquarters did not feature any TV networks broadcasting results on its giant monitors, instead posting a “Governor Jack Ciattarelli” logo on the TV screens.
CNN Projection: Jay Jones will become Virginia’s next AG, overcoming disclosure of violent text messages
Democrat Jay Jones will win the race to become Virginia’s next attorney general, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, overcoming the disclosure of text messages in which he suggested a former legislative colleague should be shot.
Jones will unseat Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares, who was seeking reelection and sharply criticized Jones for sending the text messages. Jones frequently apologized after the National Review disclosed the texts and prominent Virginia Democrats declined to withdraw their endorsements even as they criticized what he had said.
His victory suggests enough voters were willing to tolerate the texts – or were unaware of the story – in elevating a candidate they believe will fight on behalf of their interests.
Jones repeatedly apologized for the text messages and said he was embarrassed. But he moved to tie Miyares to President Donald Trump, arguing the state needed a fighter who would stand up for Virginians impacted by the actions of the Trump administration.
A former assistant attorney general and father of two boys, he often invoked his family’s legacy of service as motivation for his own career. His father, Jerrauld Jones, was a longtime judge for Norfolk’s circuit court and a member of the House of Delegates.
Sliwa vows to continue his movement as he concedes NYC mayoral bid
Republican Curtis Sliwa was defiant as he addressed supporters a short time ago, even as he acknowledged that he once again lost his bid for New York City mayor.
“We don’t have a price. You can’t buy us, rent us, lease us — we are not for sale. We are the people,” he told the crowd gathered at a bar this evening.
CNN has projected that Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani will win the election. Sliwa wished him luck, “because if he does well, we do well,” but also said he would be there to check Mamdani’s policies.
Sliwa said his campaign was about providing a voice for everyone and vowed: “We will not leave New York.” He said that he was not thinking about running again, and categorized the loss as a “setback.”
He also praised the New York City voter turnout for this election, which surpassed 2 million people, according to the city’s Board of Elections.
From roommates to governors: New Jersey and Virginia’s projected winners had similar paths to office
The women projected to become New Jersey and Virginia’s governors will assume office having come from similar backgrounds.
The Democrats were both elected to Congress in 2018 and they both have national security credentials: Abigail Spanberger is a former federal agent and CIA officer and Mikie Sherrill served in the military.
The two also forged a friendship after arriving on Capitol Hill and became roommates.
They’ve often talked about their common bonds, including how Spanberger was born in New Jersey and moved to Virginia at age 13, while Sherrill was born in Virginia and moved to New Jersey as an adult.
CNN Projection: Zohran Mamdani will win New York City mayoral election
Zohran Mamdani, the 34-year-old democratic socialist whose focus on working-class issues and personal magnetism propelled a once-underdog campaign into the national spotlight, will win New York City’s general election race for mayor, CNN’s Decision Desk projects.
Mamdani beat former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for a second time, shattering the political scion’s hopes of a political comeback after his loss to Mamdani in the June Democratic primary. Also running in the general election was Republican Curtis Sliwa, who stayed in the mayoral campaign in spite of pressure from Cuomo allies who wanted to consolidate the opposition to Mamdani.
Mamdani’s win marks a victory for the progressive wing of the Democratic Party at a time when national Democrats are divided over how to counter President Donald Trump, himself a native New Yorker, who has derided Mamdani as a “communist” and suggested he’d “take over” the city if he is elected.
It is likely to echo far beyond New York City, elevating both Mamdani’s profile and platform, including his proposals to freeze the rent for New Yorkers living in rent-stabilized apartments, make public buses free to ride, and provide universal childcare by raising taxes on the wealthy.
Mamdani’s win caps a meteoric rise for a three-term state assemblyman who launched his mayoral bid a year ago in obscurity, promising to make one of the nation’s most expensive cities affordable for its working class.
Mamdani will make history as New York City’s first Muslim mayor, the first South Asian to hold the office and one of the youngest mayors elected in modern times.
In photos: Spanberger addresses jubilant supporters after projected win in Virginia
Democrat Abigail Spanberger was greeted by a roar from the crowd as she took the stage at her election night watch party in Richmond, Virginia.
With her projected victory tonight, Spanberger is set to become Virginia’s first female governor and gives national Democrats a boost as they try to respond to the second Trump administration.
Here are some of the scenes from the celebration tonight:
CNN Projection: Democrat Mikie Sherrill will win New Jersey governor’s race
Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill will win the race for governor in New Jersey, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, maintaining Democratic control of the chief executive role one year after the state showed signs of shifting toward President Donald Trump.
Sherrill, who will be the first female Democratic governor in the state’s history, defeated Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli, a former state assemblyman and Trump ally making his third run for governor.
She is set to follow the term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy, marking the first time a party has held the governor’s office in New Jersey for more than two full consecutive terms in the last 50 years.
Sherrill’s victory likely will be viewed as a repudiation of Trump’s first year in office and demonstrates the Democratic Party’s staying power in New Jersey even as it rebuilds on the national level.
Sherrill put opposition to Trump and his agenda at the center of her campaign messaging, often linking Ciattarelli to the Republican president. She hewed to moderate policies and prioritized cost-of-living concerns, including rolling out plans to address skyrocketing utility costs in the state.
Her win comes a year after Trump made significant gains in the state in the 2024 election. Trump lost New Jersey by 6 points to former Vice President Kamala Harris but reduced his margin of defeat by 10 points compared with 2020.
Trump threatens to withhold federal funding to NYC, a threat his allies say should be taken seriously
As he endorsed Andrew Cuomo in New York City’s mayoral race yesterday, President Donald Trump repeated a threat to withhold federal funding from his former hometown if democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani wins tonight.
People close to Trump say that’s a threat that should be taken seriously, pointing to the president’s past willingness to withhold or terminate federal funding based on the actions of state and local officials.
The people also said they expect the president to publicly clash with Mamdani if the Democratic candidate wins.
CNN Projection: Detroit elects its first female mayor
Mary Sheffield, a longtime Detroit city councilperson, will become the first woman elected mayor of Michigan’s largest city, CNN’s Decision Desk projects.
Sheffield, 38, will succeed three-term Mayor Mike Duggan, who is running as an independent in next year’s gubernatorial race. Sheffield first made city history in 2013 when she became the youngest person elected to the city council. She currently serves as council president.
During the campaign, Sheffield touted her work alongside Duggan to rebuild the economy of Detroit, which 12 years ago became the largest municipality in US history to go bankrupt. In the years since, the city has made a comeback, attracting new development to its downtown core and restoring key city services.
Sheffield has pledged to work to sustain Detroit’s economic gains while also promoting policies to spread prosperity to the city’s neighborhoods. She’s promised investments in education, infrastructure and programs to prevent gun violence.
Her election also restores African American leadership to the mayor’s office. When he was elected, Duggan became Detroit’s first White mayor in four decades.
Spanberger urges Congress to end shutdown during victory speech after winning Virginia governor race
Abigail Spanberger, CNN’s projected winner of the Virginia governor’s race, called on lawmakers and President Donald Trump to “make real progress” to end the ongoing government shutdown.
“The Virginians, the Americans, who work tirelessly for their fellow citizens deserve nothing less,” she said in her victory speech.
The shutdown is set to become the longest in history tomorrow, as it is about to stretch into its 36th day. In Virginia, the ongoing shutdown and Trump’s efforts to remake the government have affected hundreds of thousands of federal workers who were expected to play a central role in today’s election.
Spanberger said “we’re living in a time filled with chaos,” but, “the only way we’re going to solve these problems is by tackling them together — Democrats, Republicans, independents, all of us.”
Trump campaign manager slams Virginia's GOP nominee as a "bad candidate"
President Donald Trump’s campaign manager is publicly deriding Virginia’s GOP gubernatorial nominee, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, as a bad candidate.
“A Bad candidate and Bad campaign have consequences - the Virginia Governors race is example number 1,” Chris LaCivita wrote on X, shortly after CNN and other outlets projected the race for Democrat Abigail Spanberger.
Spanberger frequently tied Earle-Sears to Trump, labeling the Republican as a Trump acolyte even though the president didn’t endorse her.
Spanberger celebrates being first woman governor of Virginia
It’s a historic night in Virginia as voters elected the state’s first ever woman governor.
And Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger, who CNN has projected will win the race, was soaking in the moment on stage tonight.
“A few minutes ago, Adam said to our daughters, ‘Your mom’s going to be the governor of Virginia,’” Spanberger told supporters. “And I can guarantee those words have never been spoken in Virginia ever before.”
Her husband, Adam, and three daughters were standing behind her.
Spanberger also thanked the women who paved the way for her, particularly Mary Sue Terry, the first woman to be elected to statewide office in Virginia.
“The history Virginia is making tonight is yours,” Spanberger told supporters.
It’s 9 p.m. ET and polls are closing in New York City’s mayoral race
Polls are closing in New York City, where several candidates are vying to be the next mayor to lead the Big Apple.
The race for New York City’s top office looked to swing in the favor of self-described democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani on the night of June 24, when the 34-year-old assemblyman came out ahead of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary. But the race was far from over.
It wasn’t immediately clear after the primary election night if the scandal-ridden Cuomo — who is trying to mount a political comeback four years after resigning amid sexual harassment allegations — would choose to run in the general election as an independent candidate, but Cuomo soon jumped back into the race.
Since the primary, Mamdani has continued to emphasize affordability and stabilized rent as major components of his agenda while stressing to voters that Cuomo would bend to President Donald Trump’s will if elected.
If elected, Mamdani would make history as New York City’s first Muslim mayor, the first South Asian to hold the office and one of the youngest mayors elected in modern times.
Mamdani and Cuomo are also running against perennial Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the crime prevention group Guardian Angels and a longtime tabloid character known throughout the city for his distinctive red beret and extensive collection of cats.
Spanberger vows to protect reproductive rights in Virginia as governor
Projected Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger vowed to protect reproductive rights in the state.
2 million votes have been cast in New York City, Board of Elections says
Two million votes have been cast in New York City, where polls are closing in the mayoral election, according to the city’s Board of Elections.
This is the first time that this many votes have been cast since 1969, the board said on X.
The board also instructed voters in the city who were in line by 9 p.m. ET when polls closed to remain in line.
“You will be allowed to vote,” the elections board wrote on X.
Mamdani is putting final touches on potential victory speech, campaign aides say
Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, is “putting the final touches” on his potential victory speech, two aides to the Mamdani campaign tell CNN.
Mamdani is not yet in the building, but he is with his wife, Rama Duwaji, finishing the address he hopes to make here tonight, the aides said.
Doors open at Ciattarelli HQ as attendees hope to celebrate a victory
The doors have opened at Jack Ciattarelli’s campaign headquarters in Bridgewater, New Jersey, after polls across the state closed.
One man was seen in head-to-toe red garb – donning a red jumpsuit, white T-shirt emblazoned with the words “Governor Jack Ciattarelli” and a red hat reading “Jack 4 Governor.”
Others are in “Make America Great Again” hats and other MAGA apparel.
The Ciattarelli campaign event, which includes an open bar for attendees, is taking place at the Marriott in Bridgewater – the same site as his election night event four years ago when he lost to Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy.
Trump is at the White House this evening as results come in
President Donald Trump is having a private dinner at the White House residence right now as the results come in.
Spanberger vows to serve Virginia voters who didn’t vote for her
Projected Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger has vowed to serve all Virginians — even those who voted for her opponent Winsome Earle-Sears.
Spanberger, a Democrat, went on to say that Virginians can serve as “an example for the rest of the nation.”
She also thanked Republican Earle-Sears “for a hard-fought race” and her service in the military.
“I ask that you join me in wishing her and her family well,” she said.
"Tonight we sent a message": Spanberger thanks cheering supporters after projected win
Abigail Spanberger came out to huge cheers from her supporters at her election night event after CNN projected the Democrat would win Virginia’s governor race.
She was joined on stage by her family and made remarks from a behind a podium that said “governor-elect Spanberger” on it.
She reiterated that voters “chose leadership” that will work to strengthen the economy and put Virginia first.
“I cannot wait to get to work for you,” Spanberger said.
Cuomo’s team watches nervously as voter turnout surges in New York
Allies of New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo are uneasy about the very high voter turnout we’re seeing tonight, which could be the biggest since the 1989 mayoral race.
The big question the campaign is now sifting through: Are the first-time voters showing up in droves more centrist, or are they younger voters who could back Zohran Mamdani?
The Cuomo campaign was heartened by healthy early voting numbers showing a large proportion of voters over 45, but they are uncertain whether younger voters will surge today to help push Mamdani over the finish line.
People close to the former governor’s campaign say they think the final result will be much closer than indicated by public polling, which suggests a huge Mamdani win. But there is deep uncertainty here about whether Cuomo can pull off what would be a monumental upset.
Can Trump's gains in New Jersey hold? Tonight may tell
Donald Trump’s political team will be dissecting the numbers coming out of New Jersey to see whether or not the GOP candidate in the governor’s race can build off his gains in 2024 and what the results say about the president’s strength after nine months in office.
New Jersey is where Trump had one of the biggest improvements during his multiple presidential runs — something he has bragged about since winning one year ago — and his team is hoping Jack Ciattarelli can build off that Tuesday night.
One question at hand Tuesday night is whether the government shutdown will be a factor and how voters will respond to Trump halting $18 billion in funding for infrastructure projects, including the Gateway Tunnel project. Democrat Mikie Sherrill has seized on that in the final days of the race, mentioning it repeatedly on the campaign trail.
It has created a rare moment where Ciattarelli, who has run much closer to Trump this time than last, has had to put a buffer between himself and the president. He described the Gateway Tunnel as a critical infrastructure project and recently said, “I will fight to get it done.”
CNN Projection: Democrat Ghazala Hashmi will win Virginia lieutenant governor’s race
Democrat Ghazala Hashmi will win the Virginia lieutenant governor’s race and become the nation’s first Muslim woman elected to statewide office, CNN projects.
Hashmi will defeat Republican John Reid, a former conservative talk show host and the state’s first gay statewide nominee. As lieutenant governor, she will preside over the state Senate and be able to break ties in the chamber. The role could be crucial because with her seat vacant, Democrats will have a narrow 20-19 advantage with Hashmi leaving the Senate.
A Richmond-area state senator who helped flip the chamber in 2019, Hashmi campaigned on promises to stand up to the Trump administration.
She is also Virginia’s first Indian American elected statewide.
Virginia is one of 17 states where lieutenant governors are elected separately from governors, though it’s been 20 years since different parties won the offices.
Lieutenant governors – including current Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears – have used the position as a springboard for gubernatorial campaigns in a state where governors are barred from serving consecutive terms.
Hashmi defeated five primary challengers in June, narrowly winning the nomination with 28% of the vote.
CNN Projection: Democrat Corey O’Connor will win race for mayor in Pittsburgh
Democrat Corey O’Connor will become the next mayor of Pittsburgh, according to a projection from CNN’s Decision Desk. He was expected to clinch a win in the heavily Democratic city.
O’Connor, an Allegheny County controller and son of former Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O’Connor, will defeat Republican former policeman Tony Moreno.
O’Connor made waves earlier this year when he defeated incumbent Mayor Ed Gainey in the primary, emphasizing that affordability was a problem in the city.
Why there's a long line outside Mamdani's watch party
It’s a Brooklyn-in-2025 portrait on Tuesday night: Junior’s, famous for its cheesecakes, on one side of Flatbush Avenue and on the other, a line of hundreds of journalists on the sidewalk that are waiting in chilly fall weather to get into Zohran Mamdani’s election night party.
They’re from all over the city, all over the country, and all over the world, with interest in Mamdani at highs no mayor’s race has produced in decades. The campaign received more than 400 press RSVPs.
But so far, with an hour to go before polls close, many are stuck outside as Mamdani’s campaign is struggling to keep up with the logistics of the intense demand.
Mamdani’s headquarters has not opened its doors to the public yet. The Paramount theater, which can host 2,700 people, is mostly filled with media.
CNN’s Gloria Pazmino contributed reporting to this post.
Republicans-turned-Cuomo-voters in Brooklyn call him "the best of two evils"
Many voters in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, were one of two kinds Tuesday night: There were Zohran Mamdani supporters who see hope in their candidate, and Republicans who are now Andrew Cuomo backers.
“We had two bad choices,” Cuomo voter and registered Republican Yelena Sheynshteyn said.
Sheynshteyn told CNN she wanted to vote for Curtis Sliwa, but said he “doesn’t have a chance” to beat the Democratic nominee.
Having immigrated from Russia nearly 25 years ago, she said her experiences under communism pushed her to vote against Mamdani.
Another registered Republican, Ed H., voted for Cuomo because he’s “the best of two evils.”
As a 20-year veteran city worker, Ed said it’s Cuomo’s leadership and backing that will best serve New Yorkers like himself.
Father and son voters Frank M. and Frank Jr. voted for Mamdani because he’s a “breath of fresh air.”
“It’s time for a change. A new guard,” Frank said.
“Do I think he’s going to be able to do everything? No. Not at all,” said Mamdani voter Michelle Santomoreno, a born and raised Brooklynite. “But I know he’s going to try.”
Her wife Kat also voted for Mamdani.
Keep an eye on the "Commie Corridor," a tongue-in-cheek nickname for Mamdani strongholds
Some of New York City’s most liberal progressive operatives have begun referring to Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s stronghold districts as “The Commie Corridor.”
The name is not supposed to be an insult, but rather a sarcastic nickname for a stretch of neighborhoods in Queens and Brooklyn that are home to Mamdani’s most loyal base of supporters.
The area also accounts for some of the legislative districts where the Democratic Socialists of America have made headway, getting a handful of their members on the ballot and elected to local and state offices.
“The Commie Corridor” runs from Mamdani’s home district of Astoria and Long Island City all the way through Greenpoint and over to Brooklyn’s Williamsburg, Bushwick, Bedford Stuyvesant and Sunset Park.
Even as President Donald Trump wrongly refers to Mamdani — a democratic socialist — as a “communist,” his camp has embraced the tongue-in-cheek term for his strongholds, closely watching turnout in those districts in hopes it confirms that his youngest, most liberal supporters have turned out in large numbers.
A senior aide to Mamdani’s campaign laughed when asked to explain the meaning behind “Commie Corridor.”
Key race: Where things stand in Virginia's attorney general race
Results are still coming in from across Virginia after polls closed there about an hour ago. Democrat Abigail Spanberger will win the race for governor, CNN has projected.
But the race for attorney general was still very close with about 38% percent of the vote in.
The emergence of violent text messages sent in 2022 by Jay Jones, the Democratic nominee for Virginia attorney general, has only intensified what has long looked like the GOP’s best chance to hold on to a statewide office in the commonwealth.
- Democrat Jay Jones: 50.6%
- Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares: 49.0%
Next up: Polls just closed in New Jersey at 8 p.m., so results should start rolling in from the Garden State soon. The matchup between 2021 Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli and Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill is the first real test to see if New Jersey’s rightward shift in recent years will hold.
Here’s where polls are still open:
- New York City, where there is a closely watched mayoral race: Polls close at 9 p.m. ET
- California, where voters will decide if a new congressional map can be drawn: Polls close at 11 p.m. ET
CNN Projection: Pureval will win Cincinnati mayor’s race, beating JD Vance’s half-brother
Incumbent Aftab Pureval will win reelection to a second term as mayor of Cincinnati, beating Vice President JD Vance’s half-brother, according to a projection from CNN’s Decision Desk.
Pureval will beat Cory Bowman, who is a pastor and coffee shop owner. Vance, who shares a father with Bowman, had endorsed his brother before the primary in May, saying, “He’s a good guy with a heart for serving his community.”
Bowman, who has never held elected office, was an underdog against the incumbent Pureval in the strongly Democratic city.
The Cincinnati mayor’s race is nonpartisan, though Pureval is a Democrat and Bowman a Republican.
Meet the self-described liberal voting for Curtis Sliwa
For this New York City mayoral election, Bill Schacht thinks it’s bigger than party lines.
“I was a (Andrew) Cuomo guy at the beginning for sure, he’s the guy that did it before, can do it again, but he just didn’t have it anymore. The spark went out,” Schacht told CNN.
Even still, “Until today, I didn’t know which way I was going to vote,” the longtime Queens resident and self-described liberal Democrat said.
He considered Zohran Mamdani, but worried his public persona didn’t reflect his actual self, pointing to Mamdani choosing not to reveal his choices for a number of ballot proposals tied to housing in the city until Election Day.
“He’s clearly a magician in terms of public relations and having it together,” Schacht said, which is why he questioned why there wasn’t a ready answer on those issues.
So, he settled on Curtis Sliwa, the enigmatic Republican nominee.
With polls leading into Election Day showing Sliwa a distant third to Cuomo and Mamdani, some Republicans have said a vote for Sliwa is a wasted one — effectively a vote for Mamdani.
“It’s never wasted, who the hell knows?” Schacht said. “It’s not about the polls, it’s not about anything. It’s about the same old-fashioned way. One man, one vote,” he added.
Ciattarelli voter says "you gotta give the man a chance"
Jose Guzman, a former Democrat, said he voted for Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli to be New Jersey governor because “you gotta give the man a chance.”
Guzman said he voted for Ciattarelli because of the economy and a need to change the status quo.
Guzman used to be a Democrat and had previously voted for Barack Obama, but things changed during President Donald Trump’s first presidential run.
“I see a lot of his policies went through real quick, his first day in office he did a lot of stuff,” he told CNN’s Danny Freeman on Tuesday.
Guzman said he believes Ciattarelli will be just as successful as Trump in gaining support from the Latino community in New Jersey.
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