The November 4, 2025 National/State/Local Election Thread

[selmaborntidefan]

I have always looked at New York's city politics like Phil Leotardo thought of the DiMeo crime family in the Sopranos, "Five (copulation) families, and we got this pygmy thing over in Jersey."

Giuliani and Koch were nominal Democrats, but Republicans seemed to like them both just as much. And you always have this "RENT IS TOO HIGH" guy at all of the debates, looking and acting like Cornell West on a good hair/bad hair day.

To top it off, New York City has a Conservative Party and a Liberal Party. Both nominal in that they usually support one major party.

And the city is large enough to where it is kind of its own country in and of itself.

It is not even a city that I even long to visit. One time, years ago, I looked at taking a 3-4 day trip there. The hotels for one night were as much as the roundtrip plane tickets.

So today, we have two candidates vying. One is a disgraced former Gov of NY who resigned due to a sex scandal. The other guy is a Muslim, but someone who is hard to categorize in that he's Muslim, but he's pro-LGBTQ, and swings pretty hard left.

Republicans nationally seemed unusually upset and obsessed with Mamdani, as if their corn flakes will have pee in them tomorrow if he wins. I really don't see how my life will be affected one way or another.....if the sex creep or the leftist wins. But I'm 23 days away from retiring, so I really don't give a crap either way.

I think drawing ANY national conclusions from the NYC Mayor's race - in a city that since Fiorello LaGuardia left office in 1945 has had only 3 Republican mayors and TWO of those left the GOP while in office - is preposterous on its face.

NYC is also about the most overrated city I've ever visited. Everything is overpriced and unremarkable. I think NYC is really cool if you see it like my mother did on a senior trip in 1965 when you've never been outside of your little rural Alabama mill town, but once you've been to London or Paris or many of a dozen other places, NYC doesn't have the same zing.

And here's one that may shock folks: people in NYC IN GENERAL know far less about the politics in other areas of the country than just about any other place you can name in this country. It's almost like they're more (for lack of a better word) "protected" from processing nuance of the politics elsewhere.....or perhaps they're just more apathetic.

 

[75thru79]

Looking forward to seeing what this results in.

Might be awesome. Might be disastrous.

Either way, I doubt it will be tepid...

It's going to be fun political theatre in NY. All the things that Mamdani promised he cannot do. They don't have the money for free buses, free child care, etc. He can't raise taxes, only the NY State assembly can do that. I guess he could issue bonds and pay on credit but I'm pretty sure the NYC credit rating is either in the crapper or headed there soon.

The bottom line is that in a capitalist society there is nothing a socialist can do in the short term (aka, his mayoral term) to make things "more affordable" except to enact price controls, which we all know don't work. The only way to make NYC more affordable is bring the supply side up to either match or exceed demand, thus putting pressure on prices. Things like cut red-tape, issue more building permits, attracting companies with high paying jobs, etc. That's how you do it but a Socialist is never going to do that stuff.

 

[Bodhisattva]

There are legitimate criticisms to be made about government waste and inefficiencies — the bathroom project you mentioned is a good example, and New York absolutely needs to manage costs better. But that’s a problem of bureaucracy and procurement, not proof that any investment in public services is doomed or “socialist.” Red and blue states alike struggle with waste; it isn’t unique to New York or to one ideology.

Government bureaucracy is waste. It's just question of how much. NY likes a lot of it. And they are welcome to it. I had opportunities to work in NYC (and also the Bay Area). Hard pass.

It is interesting that the new mayor (shockingly) proposes more taxes to pay for his bread and circuses. Why not end some of the waste and divert that saved money to the next dumb program? No, it's always about raising taxes. Jealousy and free stuff.

 

[Huckleberry]

It's going to be fun political theatre in NY. All the things that Mamdani promised he cannot do. They don't have the money for free buses, free child care, etc. He can't raise taxes, only the NY State assembly can do that. I guess he could issue bonds and pay on credit but I'm pretty sure the NYC credit rating is either in the crapper or headed there soon.

The bottom line is that in a capitalist society there is nothing a socialist can do in the short term (aka, his mayoral term) to make things "more affordable" except to enact price controls, which we all know don't work. The only way to make NYC more affordable is bring the supply side up to either match or exceed demand, thus putting pressure on prices. Things like cut red-tape, issue more building permits, attracting companies with high paying jobs, etc. That's how you do it but a Socialist is never going to do that stuff.

It’s certainly true that any mayor—left, right, or center—runs into the limits of what NYC can actually fund and what Albany controls. Some of the big-ticket promises will need state buy-in or won’t survive the budget process, and voters should expect a reality check on that.

But it’s an oversimplification to say a mayor’s only “socialist” option is price controls. Cities do have meaningful levers that don’t involve freezing prices: zoning and land-use reforms to expand housing supply, reducing permitting bottlenecks, targeted subsidies rather than blanket “free for all” programs, and partnerships with businesses and nonprofits to expand child care and transit access. Those are not incompatible with progressive politics — several left-leaning cities have done exactly that.

Making NYC more affordable isn’t a binary choice between “free stuff” or “pure market forces.” The most durable solutions usually combine supply-side expansion with smart public investment that supports the workforce and reduces barriers to economic participation. If Mamdani leans only into rhetoric and ignores the supply side, he’ll run into a wall quickly. If he’s pragmatic, he’ll blend his priorities with reforms that actually work on the ground. I’m hoping for the latter.

 

[92tide]

I think it’s worth separating slogans from what’s actually happening. New York has certainly invested more in public programs than many other states, but calling it “socialism light” oversimplifies a pretty complex mix of policies that have been in place for generations under both Democratic and Republican leadership.

There are legitimate criticisms to be made about government waste and inefficiencies — the bathroom project you mentioned is a good example, and New York absolutely needs to manage costs better. But that’s a problem of bureaucracy and procurement, not proof that any investment in public services is doomed or “socialist.” Red and blue states alike struggle with waste; it isn’t unique to New York or to one ideology.

As for the “people and businesses are leaving” narrative, it’s true that New York has experienced population loss in recent years, but the picture isn’t as one-directional as it’s often portrayed. Many of the state’s economic indicators — including GDP — continue to grow. New York’s economy remains one of the largest and most productive in the country, which suggests the situation is more nuanced than “policies are driving everyone away.”

Reasonable people can debate which policies help or hurt, and adjustments are always needed. But framing it as a simple choice between “socialism” and collapse doesn’t leave much room for a practical conversation about what’s working, what isn’t, and how to improve outcomes going forward.

NYC has actually gained population in the last two years

https://www.nyc.gov/assets/planning/downloads/pdf/our-work/reports/new-york-city-population-estimates-and-trends_may-2025.pdf

 

[Its On A Slab]

I think drawing ANY national conclusions from the NYC Mayor's race - in a city that since Fiorello LaGuardia left office in 1945 has had only 3 Republican mayors and TWO of those left the GOP while in office - is preposterous on its face.

NYC is also about the most overrated city I've ever visited. Everything is overpriced and unremarkable. I think NYC is really cool if you see it like my mother did on a senior trip in 1965 when you've never been outside of your little rural Alabama mill town, but once you've been to London or Paris or many of a dozen other places, NYC doesn't have the same zing.

And here's one that may shock folks: people in NYC IN GENERAL know far less about the politics in other areas of the country than just about any other place you can name in this country. It's almost like they're more (for lack of a better word) "protected" from processing nuance of the politics elsewhere.....or perhaps they're just more apathetic.

It's like I posted earlier. NYC is like it's own country. It's so big that, if you take NYC, you will win the EC vote. That being said, its politics are unlike anywhere else in the country.

My wife wants to go sometime in the future, and I will probably humor her. It would be fun to see some Broadway shows, but I've been to Paris, Prague, Vienna, Krakow, and NYC probably doesn't hold a candle to any of those places.

 

[Its On A Slab]

I changed the title of the thread to broaden the subject a bit.

How about that "razor thin" margin for Gov in NJ? A freaking landslide.

Again, the networks and media trying to make a story that wasn't there(apparently).

Prop 50 passed in California, Virginia had another landslide in its Gov's race....but that one was a no-brainer, given the lunatic the Republicans trotted out.

 

[Bodhisattva]

I think drawing ANY national conclusions from the NYC Mayor's race - in a city that since Fiorello LaGuardia left office in 1945 has had only 3 Republican mayors and TWO of those left the GOP while in office - is preposterous on its face.

NYC is also about the most overrated city I've ever visited. Everything is overpriced and unremarkable. I think NYC is really cool if you see it like my mother did on a senior trip in 1965 when you've never been outside of your little rural Alabama mill town, but once you've been to London or Paris or many of a dozen other places, NYC doesn't have the same zing.

And here's one that may shock folks: people in NYC IN GENERAL know far less about the politics in other areas of the country than just about any other place you can name in this country. It's almost like they're more (for lack of a better word) "protected" from processing nuance of the politics elsewhere.....or perhaps they're just more apathetic.

I interviewed with a half-dozen or so NYC firms while in business school. I decided that living for years in a high-priced shoe box apartment and giving away half my money in taxes was no way to live.

We took a family trip to NYC about 10 years ago. Stayed in an expensive hotel in a tiny room. Ate good but extremely expensive food. Rode on urine-soaked public transit.

We may give it another try this coming Spring break. I don't expect things will be any roomier, less expensive, or that there will be less free flowing urine. But, I'm told it's great.

 

[Its On A Slab]

Rode on urine-soaked public transit.

Philly's subwas are just as bad. Back in the 90s, I road-tripped up there for a Cardinals series in Philly. I almost threw up on the subway due to the smell.

 

[Bazza]

Looking forward to seeing what this results in.

Might be awesome. Might be disastrous.

Either way, I doubt it will be tepid...

 

[92tide]

I changed the title of the thread to broaden the subject a bit.

How about that "razor thin" margin for Gov in NJ? A freaking landslide.

Again, the networks and media trying to make a story that wasn't there(apparently).

Prop 50 passed in California, Virginia had another landslide in its Gov's race....but that one was a no-brainer, given the lunatic the Republicans trotted out.

it also looks like all of that sudden "concern" about virginia a.g.-elect jones' radical left woke socialist trans violence didn't resonate outside of the margins of the puke funnel

 

[92tide]

I changed the title of the thread to broaden the subject a bit.

How about that "razor thin" margin for Gov in NJ? A freaking landslide.

Again, the networks and media trying to make a story that wasn't there(apparently).

Prop 50 passed in California, Virginia had another landslide in its Gov's race....but that one was a no-brainer, given the lunatic the Republicans trotted out.

two democrats flipped PSC (public service commission) seats with 60-40 margins in georgia

 

[Bodhisattva]

Philly's subwas are just as bad. Back in the 90s, I road-tripped up there for a Cardinals series in Philly. I almost threw up on the subway due to the smell.

The DC area metro too. Lived in the area for almost 20 years. Escalators - some going down several stories - always broken. Trains always offline due to conductors riding the brakes constantly. Bad ventilation so that it was often extremely humid and musty, even in winter, And, of course, the urine. And with the Metro always suffering cost overruns and raising fares, I remarked to a colleague one time of my solution to balance their budget: Why don't they charge people for peeing in the Metro stations. Don't just give it away!

 

[92tide]

I changed the title of the thread to broaden the subject a bit.

How about that "razor thin" margin for Gov in NJ? A freaking landslide.

Again, the networks and media trying to make a story that wasn't there(apparently).

Prop 50 passed in California, Virginia had another landslide in its Gov's race....but that one was a no-brainer, given the lunatic the Republicans trotted out.

winsome, lose some

 

[CrimsonJazz]

Looking at X over coffee this morning and my goodness! Both sides are severely overreacting to the results of last night. NYC could conceivably spill over into national politics, it's true, but the rest? Nope. Not much of consequence really happened, but we're talking about it for the same reason we watch "week zero" college football games. Delta State vs UNLV is only interesting when its the only option to watch.

 

[92tide]

it looks like the repubs sticking to 80/20 issues like brazen anti-trans/lgbtq+ bigotry really worked in their favor /s

 

[92tide]

from the annals of couch aficionados

https://apnews.com/article/cincinnati-mayor-election-e5595517a114395ae5a6a1bd5b4596ef

WASHINGTON (AP) — Aftab Pureval won reelection as mayor of Cincinnati on Tuesday, defeating Cory Bowman, a Republican who is Vice President JD Vance’s half-brother.

 

[Its On A Slab]

I voted yesterday. I almost skipped it because it was an extreme case of off-year elections.

Mayor of my 'burb, and school board. Neither one did I know zilch about who was running.

But I found out that the bond issue that we voted down in the 2024 general election - they tried to sneak it back in during the off-yr, thinking it would pass because nobody went to the polls.

We voted it down, anyway. . Barely.

 

[Tidewater]

I changed the title of the thread to broaden the subject a bit.

How about that "razor thin" margin for Gov in NJ? A freaking landslide.

Again, the networks and media trying to make a story that wasn't there(apparently).

Prop 50 passed in California, Virginia had another landslide in its Gov's race....but that one was a no-brainer, given the lunatic the Republicans trotted out.

The Republicans, once again, nominated a black candidate trying to pry away black votes from the Democrats. They did the same thing in Georgia when running Herschel Walker. The GOP keeps stepping on that rake.

 

[crimsonaudio]

But I found out that the bond issue that we voted down in the 2024 general election - they tried to sneak it back in during the off-yr, thinking it would pass because nobody went to the polls.

We voted it down, anyway. . Barely.

I hate it when the pull this kind of crap.

It proves that (most of) our elected officials only obey the rules because they have to.