Zohran Mamdani, 34, is the projected winner of New York City's race for mayor in a contest that rallied young voters and sparked debate about the future direction of the Democratic Party.

Democrats have also won governor races in Virginia and New Jersey as Californians voted to redraw election maps.

NEW YORK (AP) — When he announced his run for mayor last October, Zohran Mamdani was a state lawmaker unknown to most New York City residents. But that was before the 34-year-old democratic socialist crashed the national political scene with a stunning upset over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in June’s Democratic primary.

A diverse but younger-skewing crowd filled the Paramount Theater in Brooklyn with enthusiasm, dancing to hip hop and celebrating the socialist's win.

The election is widely seen as a test for the future of the Democratic Party — even with Andrew Cuomo running as an independent.

Around two million New Yorkers have cast ballots in the New York City mayoral election, the highest number since the 1969 mayor’s race, according to the city board of elections. The turnout is nearly double the 1.