Democratic victories up and down the East Coast in Tuesday’s state elections have drawn attention from Dartmouth students across the political spectrum. Wins in New York City, Virginia, and New Jersey highlighted a night of strong Democratic performance and spurred conversations on campus about the direction of national politics.
Zohran Mamdani, a New York State Assemblymember and self-described democratic socialist, defeated former governor Andrew Cuomo in the New York City mayoral race. Mamdani won 50.4% of the vote compared to Cuomo’s 41.6%, with turnout surpassing 2 million ballots for the first time since 1969. His platform focused on affordable housing, rent control, and free childcare.
Some Dartmouth students viewed Mamdani’s election as a turning point. “He’s for people our age,” said Ryantony Exuma ’26. “He’s only 13 years older than me. So, I think it speaks as a testament that young people can get involved and start to change things.”
Lucia Vitali ’26, executive director of Dartmouth Democrats, praised the grassroots strategies used in Mamdani’s campaign, pointing to direct voter engagement and an emphasis on affordability. “We really saw, especially in New York, how grassroots mobilization is an effective strategy, and that communicating with voters directly is really important,” Vitali said.
Not all student responses were positive. Vittorio Bloyer ’28, president of Turning Point USA at Dartmouth, criticized Mamdani’s economic proposals. “The most logical way to lower food and rent prices would have been to elect a mayor whose goal was to stop the city from hindering the free market’s ability to efficiently fix the supply issue,” Bloyer said. “Unfortunately, what we will likely see in the next four years will be some of the most cost-ineffective, poor-quality government-run housing projects and grocery stores that this nation has ever seen.”
Jack Coleman ’26, president of Dartmouth Conservatives, said the results reflected the preferences of liberal cities without signaling a national shift. “There is still a real attraction to the far left in some of these more liberal cities,” Coleman said. “I don’t think, though, that translates to national support for these types of candidates.”
In New Jersey, Democratic Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill defeated Republican Jack Cittarelli with 56.4% of the vote. Her win marks the third consecutive gubernatorial victory for Democrats in the state, a streak not seen there since the 1960s. Sherrill, a former prosecutor, ran on a platform that included public safety, education, and economic stability.
In Virginia, Abigail Spanberger, also a Democratic congresswoman and former CIA officer, became the state’s first female governor. She won 57.2% of the vote against Republican Winsome Earle-Sears. Spanberger’s campaign emphasized reducing healthcare costs, improving public education, and affordability.
Tamia Kelly ’27, who voted absentee in Virginia, said the outcome aligned with what she observed during the campaign. “From what I experienced and what I saw, the Virginia climate was really pointing in her direction from pretty much the beginning,” Kelly said. She noted that Spanberger’s election was personally significant. “I’m interested in eventually becoming the governor of Virginia myself. When I see a development like this, it gives me hope that my career aspirations aren’t that unattainable.”
Despite ideological differences among the victorious candidates, Vitali said the Democratic Party is energized. “We are beginning to win again,” she said. “We need to look at what worked well now and realize that we need to stand up and be the voice that so many Americans are looking for.”
Coleman agreed that Democrats may have momentum going into the 2026 midterms. “The Democratic party is favored to retake the House of Representatives,” he said, but noted that Republicans face a challenge in maintaining voter turnout between presidential elections.
As students return to their regular campus rhythms, the results have sparked broader discussion about political engagement, generational change, and what these victories might mean for the nation’s evolving political landscape. Mamdani’s win has already prompted responses from other states, with New Hampshire’s governor launching ads encouraging NYC businesses to relocate north.
