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5 things to watch in Tuesday’s biggest Election Day contests

10 15
04.11.2025

Election Day dawns on Tuesday with four contests commanding the most national attention.

In New York City, 34-year-old democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani hopes to become mayor.

Mamdani leads the polls by a comfortable margin against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, now running as an independent. Republican Curtis Sliwa is a distant third.

Two races for governor are also in the spotlight.

In New Jersey, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D) is leading by a narrow margin against former state Rep. Jack Ciattarelli (R). In Virginia, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D) holds a wider advantage over the state Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears.

In both of those states, the incumbent governors — Democrat Phil Murphy in New Jersey and Republican Glenn Youngkin in Virginia — are term-limited out of office.

Meanwhile, voters in California will go to the polls to vote on Proposition 50. Basically, that’s a measure to redraw the Golden State’s congressional maps to Democrats’ advantage.

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and others in his party have cast the measure as a response to an earlier redistricting in Republican-dominated Texas which has likely given the GOP five extra House seats.

Here are the big things to watch on Tuesday.

Will Mamdani win — and by how much?

Mamdani’s rise has been one of the most dramatic political stories of the year.

The hitherto-obscure state assemblyman caused a political earthquake by vanquishing Cuomo, one of the most famous names in New York politics, in the Democratic primary.

Mamdani’s campaign has revolved around a single purpose — to make the city more affordable.

His relatability and use of social media have won plaudits, especially among younger voters. He has exploited Cuomo’s numerous vulnerabilities — most infamously, the multiple allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior, which the former governor denies.

Anger among the Democratic grassroots about Israel’s conduct in Gaza — and U.S. support for it — has also helped Mamdani, who is now on the brink of becoming the city’s first Muslim mayor.

As of........

© The Hill