Democrats sweep U.S. elections

In a political upset shaking both Wall Street and Washington, 34-year-old democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani has been elected mayor of New York City, becoming the city’s first Muslim leader and one of the youngest mayors in its history.

His victory, part of a nationwide wave of Democratic wins, marks a dramatic far-leftward shift in America’s biggest city and sends ripples through the national political landscape.

Mamdani, who immigrated from Uganda as a child and represents a district in Queens, defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa with just over 50 percent of the vote — a result declared within minutes of polls closing. The contest drew the city’s highest turnout in more than half a century, with more than two million ballots cast.

Addressing a jubilant crowd at Brooklyn’s Paramount Theater, Mamdani embraced the label that defined his campaign. “I am Muslim. I am a democratic socialist. And most damning of all, I refuse to apologize for any of this,” he declared, promising “a new dawn for New York.” He vowed to deliver free buses, rent freezes, higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy, and major expansions in public childcare and wages.

Critics, including many in the city’s business community, warn that such policies could drive investment and high-income residents away. A poll released before election day suggested nearly one-third of New Yorkers were considering leaving the city under a Mamdani administration, including 7 percent of those earning over $250,000 a year — a group that contributes roughly half of all city income-tax revenue.

Mamdani’s victory speech was both defiant and triumphant, quoting socialist leader Eugene Debs and taking direct aim at President Donald Trump, who had publicly endorsed Cuomo. “If any city can show a nation how to stop Donald Trump, it is the city that gave rise to him,” Mamdani said, before addressing the former president directly: “Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching — turn the volume up.”

5:55am. That was a good night & after listening to Mamdani’s speech, there’s no chance I’ll go back to sleep. The man & his message are a force. Here’s just the beginning. It’s worth listening to all. Finally, a message of hope, fight, unapologetic conviction & determination. pic.twitter.com/n2m1t9b2f8

— TheBossRoss 🇪🇺 🧶 ❄ 📷 6x💉 (@BettinaSRoss1) November 5, 2025

Trump responded with an ominous post on Truth Social: “…AND SO IT BEGINS!” He has previously called Mamdani a “communist” and threatened to withhold federal funds from New York, claiming the city faced “complete and total disaster” under socialist leadership.

Cuomo conceded late in the evening, calling the result “a contest for the soul of the Democratic Party.” He said nearly half the city “did not vote for Mamdani” and described those voters as “New York patriots.”

Mamdani’s win capped a night of sweeping Democratic victories nationwide. In Virginia and New Jersey, Democrats held key governorships; in California, Gavin Newsom’s Prop 50 campaign passed comfortably. The results left Republicans reeling, with one-time presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy conceding, “We got our a**** handed to us in New Jersey, Virginia and New York City.” He urged his party to “focus on affordability — making the American dream affordable again — and cut out the identity politics.”

The November 4 elections were local and state-level contests held in only a few U.S. states, including New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Maine, Texas, and California. Voters in New Jersey and Virginia chose new governors, while Virginians also elected a lieutenant governor and attorney-general. Major cities such as New York, Atlanta, Detroit, and Minneapolis held mayoral races. Meanwhile, Californians voted on whether to redraw the state’s congressional boundaries, and several states, including Texas, Maine, and Colorado, decided on key ballot measures.

Image credit: Wesley Tingey