Posted June 3, 2025 | by KimS | in 2025 Elections, DemDaily, Democratic Party, Gubernatorial, Mayors

DemDaily: On The Ballot: In June!

June 3, 2025

June kicks off the busiest month of the 2025 election year, including six major mayoral contests and the primaries for this year's two gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia.

Democrats have already secured a number of high-profile victories -- among them the historic May 13 upset in Omaha, Nebraska, where Douglas County Treasurer John Ewing Jr. (D) defeated 12-year Republican incumbent Jean Stothert to become the city's first African American Democratic Mayor.

In another high-profile mayoral, in presidential swing state Pennsylvania, center-left Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor defeated progressive Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey in the May 20 Democratic primary.

Although most mayoral elections are officially nonpartisan, 65 mayors in the nation's most populous 100 cities are affiliated with the Democratic Party. Twenty-five are affiliated with the Republican Party, one with the Libertarian Party, two are Independents, four identify as nonpartisan or unaffiliated, and three mayors' affiliations are unknown.

Although most mayoral elections are officially nonpartisan, 65 mayors in the nation's most populous 100 cities are affiliated with the Democratic Party. Twenty-five are affiliated with the Republican Party, one with the Libertarian Party, two are Independents, four identify as nonpartisan or unaffiliated, and three mayors' affiliations are unknown.

2025 ELECTION CALENDAR
(Mayorals listed are in the 100 largest cities, as well as state capitals)

JUNE 2025
June 3: Jackson, Mississippi Mayoral General
Longtime State Senator John Horhn (D) defeated two-term incumbent Mayor Chokwe Antar Lum (D), who is facing bribery charges by the FBI, in a landslide 74.90%-25.10% victory in the April 22 Primary Runoff.

Democrats have held the office for 124 years, and the last eight mayors have been African-American men. Horhn will face Republican Kenny Gee and three Independents in the June 3 general election.

June 7: San Antonio, Texas Mayoral General Runoff
Former Undersecretary of the Air Force and two-time Democratic congressional candidate Gina Ortiz Jones is facing former Republican Texas Secretary of State and Texas Public Utility Commissioner Rolando Pablos. In the initial May 3 general election, they were the top two vote-getters, at 27% and 17% respectively, among 27 candidates vying to succeed incumbent Ronald Nirenberg (D), who is term-limited.

June 7: Garland, Texas Mayoral General Runoff
The officially nonpartisan contest pits Democrat Deborah Morris (42%) against Republican Dylan Hedrick (33%), who emerged as the top two vote-getters among six candidates in the May 3 general election to succeed term-limited Mayor Scott LeMay (R).

June 10: New Jersey Statewide Primary
In New Jersey, where two-term Governor Phil Murphy (D) is term-limited and Democrats comfortably control both legislative chambers, elections are being held for Governor and the General Assembly.

In the competitive New Jersey gubernatorial Democratic primary, former US Navy helicopter pilot, attorney, federal prosecutor, and Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill is the front-runner. A May 11-13 Emerson College/The Hill poll of Garden State voters showed Sherrill at 28%, and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, Newark Mayor DeRas Baraka and Congressman Josh Gottheimer all at 11%. Former Montclair Mayor and New Jersey Education President Association Sean Spiller was at 10% and former New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney at 5%. Of respondents, 24% were undecided (MOE:+/- 3 %).

The winner will likely face former State Assemblyman and 2021 Republican nominee for governor Jack Ciattarelli.

June 17: Virginia Statewide Primary
Virginia is holding contests for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and House of Delegates. Democrats narrowly control the State Senate (21-19) and the State House (51-49).

The moderately blue state -- Kamala Harris carried the Commonwealth by six points in 2024 -- has long been considered a bellwether for the following year's elections. As Virginia is the only state that limits its Governor to one four-year term, Republican Glenn Youngkin will not be running for reelection.

Former CIA intelligence officer and centrist Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, who is running unopposed in the Democratic primary, stepped down from Congress last January to launch her statewide bid and has become a national figure as, potentially, Virginia's first female governor.

A May 12-19 argument yes poll showed Spanberger leading conservative GOP nominee and Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears, 43%-26%, with 28% of respondents still undecided (MOE +/- 5.25%). Spanberger's campaign also reported raising $6.7 million in the first quarter of 2025, more than doubling Earle-Sears' haul in the same window.

June 24: New York Statewide Primary
New York is holding elections for the offices of Mayor, City Comptroller, Public Advocate, Borough President, and City Council. That includes three major mayoral races in New York City, Albany and Buffalo.

June 24: New York City, New York Mayoral Primary
The mayoral contest in the Big Apple, the nation's largest city, is the focus of national attention as incumbent Eric Adams -- indicted in September 2024 on federal corruption charges -- attempts to retain his seat.

In February 2025, after Adams met with Trump on the city's immigration policy, the president instructed federal prosecutors to drop charges against Adams. In April 2025, the case against him was dismissed with prejudice, meaning that charges cannot be refiled.

Adams immediately announced he would seek re-election as an Independent instead of running in the Democratic primary -- shaking up the dynamics of the race. While it ensured Adams a place on the general election ballot, he was polling under 10% in the Democratic primary just prior to his withdrawal April 3.

New York uses a Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) electoral system in which voters rank up to five candidates in order of their preference on their ballots. If no candidate wins 50%+ in the first round, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. The votes of the eliminated candidate are then reallocated to the second choice of the last-place finisher's voters. The process is repeated until a winner is declared from the final two.

New York uses a Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) electoral system in which voters rank up to five candidates in order of their preference on their ballots. If no candidate wins 50%+ in the first round, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. The votes of the eliminated candidate are then reallocated to the second choice of the last-place finisher's voters. The process is repeated until a winner is declared from the final two.

Former New York Governor and HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo is the clear frontrunner with a substantial lead in the polls in both the primary and in general election matchups.

In a May 23-26, 2025 Emerson College primary poll of registered voters, Cuomo was the first choice of 35% of respondents on the first round of the ballot, followed by State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani at 22%, State Assemblyman Brad Lander at 10%, and former State Representative Scott Stringer at 9%. City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams secured 8% of the vote, State Senator Zellnor Myrie 5%, and State Senator Jessica Ramos 3%. Former State Assemblyman Michael Blake and Hedge Fund Investor Whitney Tilson both secured 1%.

June 24: Albany, New York Mayoral Primary
In the race to succeed incumbent mayor Kathy Sheehan (D), who is retiring after three terms, four contenders are vying for the Democratic nomination: Former tech executive Dan Cerutti, Common Council President Corey Ellis, State Legislator and former Common Council President Dr. Carolyn McLaughlin, and Albany Chief City Auditor Dorcey Applyrs.

While no official polls are available, Applyrs and Cerutti are leading in the endorsement and fundraising races. Applyrs has the endorsement of the Working Families Party, State Attorney General Letitia James, State Assemblywoman Gabriella Romero and State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. Last week, Sheehan weighed in for the first time, contributing $10,000 to a PAC supporting Applyrs.

Cerutti, who has not held public office, is supported by former Albany Mayor Gerald Jennings (1994–2013), Albany County Comptroller Susan Rizzo, and labor unions, including Albany Fire Fighters/IAFF Local 2007, Teamsters Local 294, Laborers Local 190 and Bricklayers Local 2.

As the Working Families Party candidate, Applyrs is already guaranteed a spot on the general election ballot. Republican nominee Rocco Pezzulo, who was also endorsed by the Conservative Party, is running unopposed.

June 24: Buffalo, New York Mayoral Primary
Buffalo Common Councilman (2011-2024) Christopher Scanlon (D) became Acting Mayor of Buffalo October 15, 2024, when five-term incumbent Byron Brown (D) resigned to pursue a business opportunity. Officially an Independent, Scanlon is guaranteed a spot on the general election ballot, but is also running in the Democratic primary.

Scanlon is being challenged by State Senator Sean Ryan, who will be on the general election ballot as the endorsed candidate of the Working Families Party, and is also running in the Democratic primary.

Other candidates include University District Common Councilman Rasheed Wyatt, former Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield Jr. and Buffalo native Anthony J.P. Tyson-Thompson.

Republican nominee and former Assistant District Attorney James Gardner is unchallenged in the primary. The five Democratic contenders will face off in a televised debate tonight at 7:00pm ET, hosted by WIVB News 4 at D’Youville University’s Kavinoky Theatre.

DemList will keep you informed.

DemDaily: O’Connor Prevails in Pittsburgh Mayor’s Race 5/22/25
DemDaily: Democrats Overcome Omaha Mayora l 5/16/25
DemDaily: New York, New York: The Race to City Hall 5/13/25
DemDaily: The 2025 Election Calendar! and Mayoral Results 5/7/25
DemDaily: New Jersey Gubernatorial: Narrowing The Gap 4/24/25
DemDaily: The Case of Eric Adams 2/24/25
DemDaily: New Jersey Gubernatorial: Crowd of Contenders 2/7/25
DemDaily: Virginia: The Race to Watch 2/6/25