Voters nationwide will head to the polls Nov. 4 in elections that many see as early tests of the political landscape nearly a year into President Donald Trump’s second term and one year ahead of the midterms.
Here are the top races drawing national attention:
Virginia
Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears faces Democrat Abigail Spanberger in the race to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Spanberger, a former congresswoman, has faced backlash from Earle-Sears for her support of transgender policies in schools and male participation in girls’ sports. Earle-Sears has centered her campaign on parental rights and economic growth.
Polls still show Spanberger narrowly ahead, with the RealClear Politics polling average putting her up 8.9 points.
>> Murderous texts and girls’ locker rooms: Highlights from Virginia’s gubernatorial debate <<
In another high-profile Virginia race, Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares is seeking reelection against Democrat Jay Jones, who has resisted calls to drop out after reporters surfaced violent text messages describing two fantasies — shooting a Republican lawmaker and the deaths of another Republican’s children, CatholicVote has reported.
CatholicVote Senior Political Advisor Steve Cortes urges Virginians to support the pro-life Miyares in a recent video on X.
New Jersey
New Jersey voters will also choose a new governor to replace term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy: Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who is making his third bid for the office, or Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who was first elected to Congress in 2018. Sherrill has campaigned against Ciattarelli by linking him to Trump, while Ciattarelli has hammered Sherrill’s record in Washington.
The race has tightened in its final stretch, with recent polls from FOX News, Quinnipiac University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, and Rutgers-Eagleton showing Ciattarelli closing in on Sherrill’s lead, according to FOX News.
New York
In New York City, voters will select a new mayor. Self-described socialist Zohran Mamdani holds a strong polling lead over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
Mamdani has faced sharp criticism for his far-left agenda and past calls to defund the police, nationalize industries, and abolish private property. His platform centers on freezing rent, making public transit and childcare “free,” creating a network of city-owned grocery stores, and hiking taxes for the top 1% of earners.
California proposition
Voters in California will decide on Proposition 50, a ballot measure that could reshape the national fight for control of Congress. A “yes” vote on the proposition would approve a new redistricting map projected to give Democrats up to five additional seats.
Supporters, who include Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, argue the measure would correct Republican gains from Texas’ recent redistricting overhaul, which added several Republican-leaning seats.
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