Zohran Mamdani calls himself “Donald Trump’s worst nightmare”. They are the words of a man living the dream.

It’s because the 34-year-old is the headline act in Tuesday’s referendum on Trump 2.0. A statement night in US politics, as Americans – some, at least – deliver a verdict on what they’ve seen so far.

Of four electoral contests across the US – including in California, New Jersey and Virginia – the race to be New York mayor is the most compulsive and consequential.

The polls have Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, as the frontrunner. If he wins, it would signify big change in the Big Apple.

Read more: Who is Zohran Mamdani?

Born in Uganda to Indian parents (he moved to the US aged seven), Mamdani would become New York’s first Muslim mayor.

He is a democratic socialist whose supporters will see victory as laying down a template for taking on Trump, even if the party’s old guard is sceptical.

An effective campaign has focused on the costs and quality of life in New York, promising universal childcare, a rent freeze, free bus travel and grocery shops run by the city.

So why is he controversial?

The message has resonated with New Yorkers squeezed on affordability, but his payment plan is open to question.

Mamdani plans to raise $9bn by raising taxes on the wealthy and on corporations, but he would face a struggle to gain the necessary consent of the New York State legislature and governor.

Mamdani’s politics are pegged to the “progressive” left wing of his party, and his campaign success plays into the Democrats’ quandary around a longer-term comeback strategy.

The politics that succeed in New York don’t necessarily resonate nationwide, and a party establishment has been reluctant to embrace Mamdani.

Democrat Chuck Schumer, Senate minority leader, has declined to endorse him at all.

Party management aside, he won’t have been impressed when Mamdani was arrested outside Schumer’s Brooklyn home as part of a 2023 protest calling for a ceasefire following Hamas’ October 7th attack on Israel.

Mamdani has been a staunch critic of Israel and, in the past, has advocated defunding the police, decriminalising prostitution and closing New York City jails.

His background and Islamic faith are threaded through opposition attacks. He has been criticised for refusing to denounce the phrase “globalise the intifada”, used by pro-Palestinian activists.

Subsequently, he said he would “discourage” the term and would combat antisemitism through actions as well as words.

It hasn’t stopped his Republican rival, Curtis Sliwa, claiming Mamdani supported “global jihad”.

Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent after losing the Democratic primary to Mamdani, has labelled him “the most divisive candidate I have ever experienced in New York”.

Trump gives Cuomo an endorsement – of sorts

Cuomo, the former New York governor who resigned over sexual harassment allegations, is Mamdani’s closest contender who has received support – of sorts – from Trump.

The president, who falsely labels Mamdani a communist, said on Truth Social on the eve of the election: “Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice.

“You must vote for him, and hope he does a fantastic job. He is capable of it, Mamdani is not!”

At a rally the same night, Mamdani fired back to say: “The MAGA movement’s embrace of Andrew Cuomo is reflective of Donald Trump’s understanding that this would be the best mayor for him.

“Not the best mayor for New York City, not the best mayor for New Yorkers, but the best mayor for Donald Trump and his administration.”

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The Republican spin on the prospect of a Mamdani victory is that it would reflect a move towards radical extremism by the Democratic Party.

Trump has even suggested he may withhold federal funds from New York if Mamdani wins.

In time, Democrats would need to interpret and apply the lessons of a Mamdani victory. But more than anything else, they need a win to feel a pulse in a party undergoing an identity crisis.

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One battle after another

The same applies to Tuesday contests for governor in New Jersey and Virginia, fascinating in terms of the vote winners and vote breakdown.

What will be the verdict, nine months in, of people who turned to Trump at the last election? Will he hold onto the Latino vote, given his immigration policy, ICE raids, and other orders?

In California, Tuesday sees a redistricting vote to counter Republican gerrymandering elsewhere. If backed by the public, the plan will increase the number of winnable Democratic seats in the House of Representatives.

Read more: The controversial tactic both parties are using ahead of midterms

It is the initiative of California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom.

If he wins the day, his party will be enhanced and so will he, as the potential party nominee for president come the election in 2028.

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Donald Trump sits down for an interview with CBS’ 60 Minutes – the programme he sued successfully for $16m just four months ago.

All the while, his poll numbers are at an all-time low due to the government shutdown, as hundreds of thousands of federal workers remain unpaid and food benefits for millions of people run out.

And is this the week the real Democrats stand up? Their favourability numbers are also dire, but will the emergence of a firebrand left-wing mayor in New York City, in the shape of Zohran Mamdani, and a handful of positive off-year election results on Tuesday be the spark they desperately need to counter Trump’s MAGA agenda?

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Donald Trump has said he feels “badly” for the Royal Family after Andrew Mountbatten Windsor was stripped of his titles – as it emerged he could also be stripped of his honorary rank of vice admiral.

Speaking to reporters on board Air Force One, the US president was asked about his thoughts on the King’s decision to strip his brother of his peerages in the wake of further disclosures about his relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

“It’s a terrible thing that’s happened to the family,” Mr Trump said. “That’s been a tragic situation. It’s too bad. I feel badly for the family.”

The King’s brother was stripped of his prince and Duke of York titles by the monarch over his links to Epstein on Thursday.

He lost his last remaining royal titles and privileges following the posthumous publication of a memoir by Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s victims.

She had accused Andrew of sexual assault and sued him in August 2021. The case was settled outside court for a sum believed to have been around £12m.

Andrew has denied allegations of sexual assault made by Ms Giuffre, and has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing.

Ms Giuffre, who took her own life earlier this year, claimed that – as a teenager – she had sex with Andrew on three occasions after being trafficked by billionaire paedophile Epstein and his ex-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell.

Andrew has always denied the allegations.

Ms Giuffre’s family hailed the King’s decision to remove Andrew’s titles, saying: “An ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family, brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage.”

Mr Trump has also come under pressure over his ties to Epstein. After the financier’s death in 2019, the US president downplayed their relationship and said he had “no idea” about Epstein’s crimes.

Read more: All we know about Trump and Epstein’s ‘friendship’

Andrew could lose vice admiral rank – Healey

It comes after Defence Secretary John Healey told Sky’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that the former prince could be stripped of his honorary rank of vice admiral

Andrew was made a vice admiral on his 55th birthday in 2015 and retained the rank even after giving up his other military positions in 2022.

He had a career spanning more than 20 years in the Royal Navy, and served in the Falklands War.

Mr Healey told Sky News: “We’ve seen Andrew surrender the military positions that he’s had and we’re looking now at the one remaining position he has, which is the honorary vice admiral position and, we’ve got a process underway for that.”

Asked what that process is, he said: “We’re being guided by the King and we’re now looking to remove.”

Mr Healey was also asked if the government would legislate to remove Andrew from the line of succession.

He said that is a “matter for the King” but his personal view is “it’s neither here nor there” as Andrew has lost all other of his royal titles.

Meanwhile, Kevin Hollinrake, the Conservative Party chairman, told Trevor Phillips: “Andrew’s 8th in line to succession of the monarchy.

“Parliament’s got many better things to do than to legislate for something that will never happen.”

Now simply known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor after losing his titles, he will move from Royal Lodge to the Sandringham estate in Norfolk – with his future accommodation to be privately funded by the monarch.

Pressure is now building on Andrew to give evidence before a powerful US Congressional committee.

The House Oversight Committee is investigating the Epstein affair, and several of its members have invited Andrew to come and give evidence, presenting it as an opportunity to clear his name.

Royal biographer Andrew Morton said he believes there “are more revelations to come” about Epstein from the committee.

He told Sky News: “Given the fact that Andrew hasn’t been fully comprehensive in his admissions and emails have emerged which go further than his Newsnight interview, I think that will be the fear inside the palace.”

Read more from Sky News:
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Can William drag attention away from Andrew during Brazil visit?
Two Louvre heist suspects ‘convicted over theft in 2015’

In a 2019 interview with Newsnight, Andrew claimed that he cut off contact with Epstein in 2010 following his release from jail for prostituting minors.

However, emails released since suggest they stayed in touch for longer.