Letitia James, New York’s Democratic attorney general who gained a national following after clashing with President Trump, won a third consecutive term, defeating Saritha Komatireddy, a little-known Republican ex-prosecutor, according to The Associated Press.
With 85 percent of the vote counted, Ms. James was leading Ms. Komatireddy by 20 percentage points.
Ms. James, 68, a Brooklynite, was first elected attorney general in 2018 after having served as a city councilwoman and as public advocate in New York City. In her statewide role, she quickly became one of Mr. Trump’s chief antagonists.
Ms. James won a fraud suit against Mr. Trump in 2022 that was eventually thrown out. In 2025, she was indicted on a charge of mortgage fraud by federal prosecutors. That indictment was dismissed, but prosecutors attempted to indict Ms. James again.
“We have used the sword and shield of the law to protect the rights of New Yorkers, no matter what God they worship, no matter what the color of their skin, no matter their gender and who they love, no matter their immigration status or their socioeconomic status,” Ms. James said at the New York Hilton Midtown ballroom where top Democrats had gathered for an election night party.
During the campaign, Ms. James accused Ms. Komatireddy, 42, an Upper East Side resident who worked as a federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of New York, of supporting Mr. Trump, who is deeply unpopular in the state.
Mr. Trump nominated Ms. Komatireddy as a federal judge in the Eastern District of New York in 2020. He gave her a “Complete and Total Endorsement” on social media last month, calling her an “America First Patriot.” Ms. Komatireddy said she was honored.
Ms. Komatireddy said Ms. James was so focused on the president that she was not using the office’s powers to address issues such as fraud and street crime. In their only debate, both women accused each other of not understanding the power of the office.
“She’s obsessed with national politics. I’m focused on the safety of New Yorkers,” Ms. Komatireddy said. “The right attorney general can tackle crime, homelessness and fraud. You just need a prosecutor as attorney general.”
Ms. James responded that the office’s work is mostly civil in nature. She listed the lawsuits against opioid manufactures and tech companies that her office has pursued and said “politics stop at the door in my office.” She has said her willingness to fight Mr. Trump in court demonstrates that she can take on powerful interests on behalf of New Yorkers.
Ms. Komatireddy also attacked Ms. James for her comments expressing sympathy for a former Cornell student who has accused several men of raping her.
After Ms. James made the remarks, Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed her as a special prosecutor in the case, but some have called for Ms. James to recuse herself because of her comments. Ms. James faced a similar critique when she first ran for attorney general for her comments about Mr. Trump.
Ms. James rejected that idea in a statement, saying that she was “committed to leading a comprehensive investigation” that would be “guided only by the facts, the evidence and the law.” Ms. James was also seeking an outside law firm to examine the case.
In spite of what was considered a strong debate performance — her campaign said it raised $1 million in the days after the debate aired — Ms. Komatireddy could not overcome Ms. James’s name recognition and national reputation.
As the campaign neared its end, Ms. James rolled out a commercial with Mayor Zohran Mamdani and rallied in Brooklyn with Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas.
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