Ella Emhoff, stepdaughter of Vice President Kamala Harris, described her recent voting experience in New York City as emotionally difficult.
The 26-year-old cast her ballot in the Democratic mayoral primary at the same polling station where she had previously voted for Harris.
Emhoff shared her thoughts via Instagram Stories on Tuesday, urging her followers to vote despite the extreme heat.
She endorsed Democratic Socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani and expressed her strong emotional response to returning to the polls.
She explained that it was the first time she had voted since the 2024 presidential election, where Harris lost to President Donald Trump.
“Feeling so many emotions voting again,” she wrote alongside a photo showing her in a Zohran for NYC bandana and an “I Voted” sticker.
She added, “It was a little traumatic walking into the same voting place as I did in November,” referring to the 2024 election. Despite her discomfort, Emhoff said she felt optimistic about Mamdani’s campaign and future for the city.
In a video clip, Emhoff appeared energized, saying she was glad to see strong support for Mamdani. “Let’s f**king do this, guys!” she exclaimed as she walked back to her Brooklyn apartment after voting.
Unofficial election results released Tuesday evening showed Mamdani leading the Democratic primary with 43.5 percent of the first-round vote. His main competitor, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, conceded after receiving 36.4 percent.
Although Mamdani had the lead, he did not secure more than 50 percent of first-choice votes, meaning the final outcome will depend on additional rounds in the ranked-choice voting system. Results from rounds two through five are expected soon.
New York City’s ranked-choice voting allows voters to rank up to five candidates. A candidate must obtain over 50 percent in a round to be declared the official winner. Until then, Mamdani’s win remains unofficial.
Sources close to Cuomo have indicated he may not contest the November general election as an independent, suggesting he may step aside rather than continue his campaign.
Mamdani, who ran on a progressive platform focused on affordability, will face incumbent Mayor Eric Adams in the November general election.
His policies include free public buses, city-run grocery stores, and universal childcare, as the Daily Mail reported.
Emhoff is likely to face similar emotional challenges in the lead-up to November as she did in 2024, when she was visibly upset after Harris conceded the presidential race to Trump.
Following that loss, Emhoff posted a message on Instagram expressing pain and determination. “It just f*king hurts like a b*ch right now and that’s ok. The fight doesn’t stop now,” she wrote.
She was seen being comforted by her father, Doug Emhoff, who was the Second Gentleman at the time, and by her brother Cole. The family appeared emotional the day after the election.
Photographs from Tuesday showed Emhoff attending post-election events with local influencers, including Kareem Rahma and his wife Karina Muslimova, celebrating Mamdani’s apparent primary victory.
President Trump has since criticized Mamdani, calling him a “100 percent Communist lunatic.” He also slammed Mamdani’s prominent supporters, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders.
During a campaign debate, Mamdani declared that he intended to be Trump’s “worst nightmare,” solidifying his stance as a fierce opponent of the current administration.
So, they call this news???????