Zohran Mamdani has been elected New York City’s next mayor. And this victory is nothing short of an historic moment. The Indian-origin Democrat is not only the first Muslim to do so, but also the first with South Asian roots and the first born in Africa.
New York City is known to be a Democratic party stronghold and there isn’t usually much competition. But this election was different. Former New York governor Andrew Cuomo was breathing down Mamdani’s neck. Cuomo had lost the Democratic primary to Mamdani but later ran as an Independent.
Mamdani's victory came in the face of fierce attacks on his policies and Muslim heritage from business elites, conservative media commentators and Trump himself.
"If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him," Mamdani said in a victory speech to supporters. "In this moment of political darkness, New York will be the light."
Zohran Mamdani focused on living costs facing ordinary New Yorkers, building support through his informal personal style, social media savvy and a massive canvassing ground game.
Mamdani, a state lawmaker for New York's Queens borough, appealed to voters by pledging to tackle the soaring cost of living, offering free city bus travel, childcare and city-run grocery stores.
More than 2 million New Yorkers cast ballots in the contest, the largest turnout in a mayoral race in more than 50 years, according to the city’s Board of Elections. With roughly 90% of the votes counted, Mamdani held an approximately 9 percentage point lead over Cuomo.
Mamdani has already faced scrutiny from national Republicans, including President Donald Trump, who have eagerly cast him as a threat and the face of what they say is a more radical Democratic Party. Trump has repeatedly threatened to cut federal funding to the city — and even take it over — if Mamdani won.
President Trump could not keep calm when a Democrat was gaining immense popularity. Unabashedly playing the race card, Trump labelled Mamdani a ‘Jew hater’ and said no Jewish New Yorker should vote for him.
Trump refused to take any blame for Tuesday's results. In a post on his Truth Social network, he cited anonymous "pollsters" suggesting the Republican defeats were down to the government shutdown and the fact that his own name wasn't on ballots.
Mamdani’s unlikely rise gives credence to Democrats who have urged the party to embrace more progressive, left-wing candidates instead of rallying behind centrists in hopes of winning back swing voters who have abandoned the party.
