What you need to know
• Big win for Mamdani: 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 projects. He will be the city’s first Muslim mayor. The Democratic nominee defeated Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent, and Curtis Sliwa, the GOP candidate.
• Historic firsts in governors’ races: Abigail Spanberger, a former Democratic congresswoman and CIA officer, will become Virginia’s first female governor and Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill will become New Jersey’s first female Democratic governor, CNN projects.
• Disapproval with Trump: Tonight’s voting is seen as the first major electoral tests of the second Trump presidency. According to the preliminary CNN exit polling, majorities disapprove of President Donald Trump in the four closely watched contests.
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.
