Zohran Mamdani has declared a groundbreaking victory in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary, positioning himself to become the city’s first Muslim mayor.
The 33-year-old democratic socialist pulled off a major upset against former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who conceded Tuesday night after Mamdani built a decisive lead.
“Tonight, we made history,” Mamdani told a cheering crowd of supporters. “I will be your Democratic nominee for the mayor of New York City.”
Socialist Mamdani vs Zionist Cuomo
With 93% of the votes counted, Mamdani held 43.5% of the vote, while Cuomo trailed at 36.4%. New York City’s ranked-choice voting system means final results could take days, but Mamdani is expected to benefit from second-choice preferences, particularly from supporters of progressive Brad Lander, who finished third with 11.4% of the vote. Mamdani and Lander had cross-endorsed each other’s campaigns last week.
Cuomo, who was once considered the frontrunner, praised Mamdani’s campaign during his concession speech. “Tonight is his night. He deserved it. He won,” Cuomo said, adding that Mamdani had inspired young voters and run an impactful campaign.
Despite conceding, Cuomo indicated to The New York Times that he may still consider running as an independent in the November general election. However, with New York’s solidly Democratic electorate and growing dissatisfaction with incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, Mamdani is now widely seen as the frontrunner.
Mamdani’s victory marks a significant moment for New York’s progressive movement and challenges the Democratic Party establishment.
Mamdani’s Tiktok and offline campaign changed everything
Backed by strong grassroots support, particularly from young voters, his campaign outpaced Cuomo’s more traditional, big-donor-backed effort, which had received endorsements from centrist figures including former President Bill Clinton.
“Together, we have shown the power of the politics of the future — one of partnership and sincerity,” Mamdani said, celebrating the momentum of his progressive coalition.
If confirmed, Mamdani’s candidacy will likely reshape the 5th November mayoral race and could inspire progressive campaigns across the United States.
Who is Zohran Mamdani?
Zohran Kwame Mamdani is an American politician who has served as a member of the New York State Assembly from the 36th district, based in Queens, since 2021.
Born in Uganda, Mamdani immigrated to the United States as a child and graduated from Bowdoin College in 2014.
Mamdani was born on October 18, 1991, in Kampala, Uganda. His father is Mahmood Mamdani, an Indian-Ugandan and postcolonial studies professor at Columbia University of Gujarati Muslim descent, and his mother is Mira Nair, an acclaimed Indian-American filmmaker of Punjabi descent.
Not my victory but 'ours'
Mamdani took the stage after midnight at his Election Night party in Long Island City to thunderous cheers and applause, following other notable speakers including state Attorney General Letitia James and US Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-Brooklyn/Queens).
“Today, eight months after launching this campaign, with a vision of a city that every New Yorker can afford, we have won,” Mamdani told the jubilant crowd gathered at the Greats of Craft brewery. “We have won from Harlem to Bay Ridge…We have won from Maspeth to Chinatown. We have won because New Yorkers have stood up for a city they can afford.”
Views on Israel and Palestine
During the Democratic primary campaign, Mamdani received several endorsements from prominent progressive politicians, including Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, attracting attention for his outspoken views on Israel and Palestine.
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