New York, Nov 4 (NationPress) On Tuesday, elections across various regions of the United States will determine state and local officials, address significant local issues, and highlight Zohair Mamdani, a contentious progressive candidate on the Democratic Party ticket in New York City, the largest urban center in the nation.

The shadow of US President Donald Trump looms over the polls, although the scattered results may not serve as a direct referendum on his presidency.

Nonetheless, some elections could provide insights into next year's midterm elections, which will impact Congress, including the gubernatorial contests in New Jersey and Virginia.

On the ballot is a referendum to redraw Congressional districts in California aimed at electing more Democrats and balancing Republican power in states like Texas.

States are responsible for determining Congressional district boundaries, and California’s Democratic majority electorate is anticipated to support this measure.

In the US election system, citizens registering to vote can choose to affiliate with a party or remain independent. In New York, the electorate is predominantly Democratic, with 56% identifying as Democrats, 26% as Republicans, and 18% as Independents.

During the June primary, Mamdani achieved a surprising victory, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo and current Mayor Eric Adams, driven by the city's Democratic disdain for Trump and Mamdani's promises of free public transportation, a rent freeze, and increased taxes on the wealthy, backed by a strategically mobilized youth demographic that recently participated in anti-Israel protests.

Cuomo is running as an independent, while Curtis Sliwa, founder of a vigilante group, is representing the Republican ticket.

Polls suggest that if Cuomo and Sliwa's support were combined, Mamdani could face a defeat. Even Trump has expressed support for Cuomo, suggesting that a “bad” Democrat is preferable to a “communist.”

The label of 'communist' is disputed, yet Trump and others associate it with Mamdani’s commitments to Democratic Socialists regarding the control of production means—a platform some view as communist—and similar statements that he and his supporters now downplay.

Despite Trump's disapproval, Sliwa remains in the race, potentially giving Mamdani an advantage in a three-candidate contest, although Cuomo is experiencing a late surge in polling.

Mamdani is the son of Mira Nair, the acclaimed film director from a Hindu family, and Mahmood Mamdani, a Ugandan academic claiming Indian ancestry. If elected, Mamdani would become the first Muslim mayor of the city, akin to London’s Sadiq Khan.

With the middle name Kwame, he also identifies as “African American.”

A supporter of Khalistan, Mamdani participated in a rally where derogatory chants against Hindus were heard and has pledged to boycott Prime Minister Narendra Modi if he visits the city.

His anti-Israel stance, perceived by some as anti-Semitic, includes the outrageous threat to use city police to arrest Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who would be protected by federal Secret Service agents and his own security detail.

Many of his campaign pledges exceed the mayor's authority.

He has criticized the city’s police department, which he intends to reduce, claiming it has ties to Israel’s military.

However, Jewish voters, traditionally liberal and Democratic, are divided; many support Mamdani due to their opposition to Trump.

This division also extends to Hindu voters, with Congressman Ro Khanna campaigning for Mamdani in a predominantly South Asian neighborhood.

For Republicans, a Mamdani victory would be strategically beneficial in next year’s elections, allowing them to associate moderate Democrats in swing districts with his perceived radicalism.

This political dynamic explains why several Democrats, including former President Barack Obama and Senate leader Chuck Schumer, have refrained from endorsing him, while multiple party lawmakers have crossed party lines to support Cuomo.

A Democrat running for district attorney in neighboring Nassau County has issued a legal notice against Republicans for attempting to link him to Mamdani.

In Virginia, adjacent to Washington, the latest polling indicates Democrat Abigail Spanberger holds a 10-point lead over current Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, aiming to reclaim the governorship from Republicans.

However, the Democrat vying for attorney general, who has made death threats against the governor and his spouse, still secured the party’s endorsement but is trailing in the polls.

Polls in New Jersey show a slight advantage for Democrat Mikie Sherrill, a former Navy pilot and Congresswoman, over Republican Jack Ciattarelli, a businessman and former state assemblyman.

In these races, as in many across the nation, Trump’s influence overshadows local issues, with Democrats linking him to Republicans who seek to distance themselves from some of his policies.

Among other significant mayoral contests, cities like Minneapolis, Detroit, Boston, New Orleans, Cincinnati, and Charlotte are expected to maintain Democratic leadership, while Republicans are anticipated to retain control in Miami.

In Cincinnati, Mayor Aftab Karma Singh Pureval, the son of a Tibetan mother and a Sikh father, is projected to defeat Cory Bowman, the half-brother of Vice President JD Vance.