Democratic victories in several high-profile state elections on the East Coast this week have drawn mixed reactions among Dartmouth students, as the party saw significant gains in New York, Virginia, and New Jersey. The results come one year ahead of the 2026 midterms and have prompted discussions on campus about the direction of national politics and the strategies that led to the wins.
In New York City, Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, a state assemblymember and self-described democratic socialist, defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo with 50.4% of the vote. The mayoral race drew over 2 million ballots for the first time since 1969. Mamdani’s campaign focused on housing affordability, proposing measures like a rent freeze, expanded affordable housing, and public childcare.
Ryantony Exuma ’26 expressed enthusiasm for Mamdani’s win, citing his age and progressive stance as inspiring. “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,” Exuma said.
Lucia Vitali ’26, executive director of Dartmouth Democrats, credited Mamdani’s ground-level organizing efforts. “We really saw, especially in New York, how grassroots mobilization is an effective strategy, and that communicating with voters directly is really important,” she said. Vitali pointed to Mamdani’s emphasis on solving the “affordable living crisis” as resonating particularly well with voters.
Not all were encouraged by the results. Vittorio Bloyer ’28, president of Turning Point USA at Dartmouth, criticized Mamdani’s policies as leading to negative economic consequences. “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,” Bloyer said.
Jack Coleman ’26, president of Dartmouth Conservatives, described the results as expected but limited in their broader significance. “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, Mikie Sherrill, a Democratic congresswoman and former federal prosecutor, defeated Republican candidate Jack Cittarelli with 56.4% of the vote. With her election, Democrats maintained control of the governor’s office for a third consecutive term—an outcome not seen in the state since the 1960s.
Vitali said candidates like Sherrill reflect voters’ desire for leaders willing to counter what she described as attacks on civil liberties. “Americans are seeking leaders who are actively going to fight back,” she said.
Virginia also elected a Democratic governor, Abigail Spanberger, who won with 57.2% of the vote over Republican Winsome Earle-Sears. Spanberger, a former intelligence officer and sitting congresswoman, ran on a platform that emphasized lowering healthcare costs, improving public education, and economic accessibility.
Tamia Kelly ’27, who voted absentee in Virginia, said her home state’s result aligned with expectations. “The Virginia climate was really pointing in her direction from pretty much the beginning,” she said. Kelly also noted the historic nature of Spanberger’s victory, as the first woman elected governor in the state. “When I see a development like this, it gives me hope that my career aspirations aren’t that unattainable,” said Kelly, who hopes to pursue a similar path.
Across the three contests, Democrats drew support from a broad coalition of voters, with wins ranging from Mamdani’s democratic socialism to more moderate campaigns in Virginia and New Jersey. Vitali said the victories are a sign that the Democratic Party is regaining momentum. “Regardless of people’s opinions on any one specific candidate, the Democratic Party can focus on the fact that we are beginning to win again,” she said.
Coleman offered a cautious outlook for Republicans. He predicted that Democrats are currently favored to reclaim the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2026 midterms unless the GOP can improve voter turnout in non-presidential years. “The challenges will be centered around making sure that voters who turn out for President Trump also turn out for Republicans,” he said.
The elections have sparked renewed debate on Dartmouth’s campus about the future direction of national politics and the role young people will play in shaping it. Whether the recent Democratic wins signal a broader shift or temporary momentum remains uncertain, but students on both sides are preparing for what the results may mean moving forward.
