NEW YORK (Diya TV) — New Yorkers appeared ready Tuesday to elect 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani as the city’s next mayor, a historic move that could mark the first time a Muslim and self-described socialist leads America’s largest city. The election comes as voters nationwide weigh in on local races that could reflect the country’s mood nearly 10 months into President Donald Trump’s turbulent second term.
Mamdani, a first-term state assemblyman from Queens, surged to prominence after a grassroots campaign focused on reducing living costs and helping working-class families. He entered Election Day leading with about 44% support, according to AtlasIntel polling. Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent, trailed with 37%. Republican Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels crime patrol group, was polling near 19%, raising questions about whether his supporters might shift to Cuomo and tighten the race.
Polls opened at 6 a.m. and will close at 9 p.m. (0200 GMT Wednesday). Election officials said early voting saw more than 735,000 ballots cast, the highest number in city history for an off-year race. If elected, Mamdani would be New York City’s first Muslim mayor and one of the youngest ever to hold the post. His campaign leaned on social media and personal outreach, often featuring videos of him walking city streets and talking with voters.
Mamdani’s rise has also sparked sharp reactions from the political right. President Trump on Tuesday called him a “Jew hater” in a social media post. “Any Jewish person who votes for Zohran Mamdani, a proven and self-professed JEW HATER, is a stupid person!!!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Mamdani dismissed the attack, saying the president was trying to divide the city. “What was rumored, what was feared has become naked and unabashed — the ‘MAGA’ movement’s embrace of Andrew Cuomo,” he said at a canvassing event in Queens. Voters across the five boroughs said they were looking for leadership that could address the city’s rising costs and political tensions.
“I sure hope it improves the city,” said Denise Gibbs, a 46-year-old physiotherapist who voted in Brooklyn. “I want to see less divisiveness and more support for working families.”
Current Mayor Eric Adams chose not to run again after facing corruption allegations. He endorsed Cuomo in the race. Trump’s return to the White House has loomed large over the campaign. The president has repeatedly threatened to withhold federal funds from New York City if Mamdani wins, calling him “a Communist candidate.”
Analysts say a Mamdani victory would likely trigger a political showdown with Washington.
“Trump will treat New York City more aggressively,” said Grant Reeher, a political science professor at Syracuse University. “There will be some kind of confrontation.”
Mamdani’s success has deepened divisions within the Democratic Party over whether to embrace a more progressive platform or return to centrist roots.
“I think this has to be a party that allows Americans to see themselves in it,” Mamdani said during an event last week. “We can’t just mirror the same small group of people already in politics.”
While New York’s mayoral race grabbed headlines, voters in New Jersey and Virginia also headed to the polls to choose governors in contests viewed as early tests of political strength ahead of next year’s midterms.
In New Jersey, Democratic candidate Mikie Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot, faced Republican Jack Ciattarelli, a businessman backed by Trump. In Virginia, Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger led Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in most polls. Both sides brought out major figures. Former President Barack Obama campaigned for the Democrats over the weekend, while Trump held tele-rallies Monday night for the Republican candidates.
Obama reportedly spoke with Mamdani but stopped short of endorsing him, reflecting ongoing tensions within the party over its direction. New Jersey officials reported several emailed bomb threats at polling sites, briefly closing some locations. State Attorney General Matthew Platkin said authorities were investigating the incidents. Mamdani called the threats “incredibly concerning.”
“It’s an illustration of the attacks we are seeing on our democracy,” he said after voting in Astoria, Queens.
As polls closed, New York stood at a turning point. A Mamdani victory would signal a shift toward progressive politics in one of the nation’s most influential cities — and set up a high-stakes confrontation with President Trump. Whether voters choose stability or change, Tuesday’s results will echo far beyond New York’s five boroughs, shaping the national debate ahead of 2026’s pivotal midterm elections.
