Democrat Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old progressive and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, was elected mayor of New York City on Tuesday, becoming the city’s first Muslim mayor and one of the most prominent figures on the party’s left.

Mamdani won 49.6% of the vote, defeating former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent and secured 41.6%, according to CBS News. Republican Curtis Sliwa finished third with 7.9%.

The victory caps Mamdani’s swift ascent from a little-known state legislator to a national figure in Democratic politics. His campaign against Cuomo, 67, underscored generational and ideological rifts within the party and could influence its future direction.

Former President Donald Trump intervened late in the race, calling Mamdani a “Jew hater” in a social media post.

Born in Uganda to a family of Indian origin, Mamdani moved to the United States at age seven and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018.

Democrats notch historic wins in Virginia and New Jersey

In Virginia, Democrat Abigail Spanberger won the governor’s race, becoming the first woman elected to the office. Her running mate, Ghazala Hashmi, captured the lieutenant governor’s post, making her the first Muslim woman and first South Asian to win statewide office in Virginia.

Spanberger, 47, a former CIA officer and congresswoman, defeated Republican Winsome Earle-Sears after a campaign centered on affordability, public safety and abortion rights. “We chose pragmatism over partisanship,” Spanberger said in her victory speech.

Hashmi, 59, a state senator and English professor, defeated Republican radio host John Reid with 53.8% of the vote. Born in Hyderabad, India, Hashmi immigrated to the United States as a teenager and taught at community colleges for more than two decades before entering politics.

Her election to the state Senate in 2019 made her the first Muslim woman to serve in the Virginia legislature, a milestone she has now extended to statewide office.

In New Jersey, Democrat Mikie Sherrill, a U.S. representative and former Navy pilot, won the governor’s race, defeating Republican Jack Ciattarelli. Her victory marks the first time since the 1960s that New Jersey voters have elected governors from the same party for three consecutive terms.

The results gave Democrats a boost as they seek to regain momentum following their 2024 national losses and ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, when control of Congress will be at stake.

Reacting to Republican defeats, Trump cited unnamed pollsters blaming the losses on the ongoing government shutdown and his absence from the ballot.

“‘TRUMP WASN’T ON THE BALLOT, AND SHUTDOWN, WERE THE TWO REASONS THAT REPUBLICANS LOST ELECTIONS TONIGHT,’” he wrote on his Truth Social platform.