Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old Muslim of South Asian origin, surprised political observers in dealing a crushing defeat to heavyweight former Governor Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday, as he appeared poised to change into the Democratic candidate for mayor of america’ greatest metropolis.
If Mamdani, a state assemblyman, wins the mayoral election in November, he’ll change into the primary Muslim, Indian-origin mayor in New York Metropolis’s historical past.
As vote counts poured in, Mamdani invoked Nelson Mandela as he tweeted early Wednesday morning: “It at all times appears not possible till it’s finished. My mates, it’s finished. And you’re the ones who did it. I’m honoured to be your Democratic nominee for the Mayor of New York Metropolis.”
Cuomo, the previous governor of New York State, who resigned in 2021 amid a sexual harassment scandal, addressed an occasion in Manhattan after calling Mamdani to congratulate him. “Tonight was Assemblyman Mamdani’s night time, and he put collectively an incredible marketing campaign,” he mentioned. “And he touched younger individuals, and impressed them, and moved them, and obtained them to come back out and vote. And he actually ran a extremely impactful marketing campaign.”
In Mamdani’s anticipated win, political analysts consider there are bigger classes for the Democratic Celebration, nonetheless grappling with its loss within the 2024 presidential and Congressional elections.
So who’s Zohran Mamdani? What have been his ballot guarantees, and the way did he upset ballot predictions to emerge the doubtless winner of the Democratic major? And what are his views on Gaza, a significant marketing campaign problem this 12 months?
What occurred within the Democratic major?
Within the first-choice spherical of ranked-choice voting within the New York Metropolis Democratic mayoral major on June 24, Mamdani led with 43.5 p.c of the vote, practically 432,000 votes, whereas Cuomo adopted with 36.4 p.c, or 361,800 votes.
Comptroller Brad Lander, one other progressive contender, got here in third with 11.3 p.c, and the remaining votes have been break up amongst different minor candidates.
Since no candidate secured greater than 50 p.c of first-choice votes, New York’s ranked-choice system kicked in. Candidates with the fewest votes are eradicated in successive rounds, and their supporters’ second-choice preferences have been redistributed.
Mamdani reportedly picked up a major share of Lander’s voters and different progressives, pushing him on the trail to cross the bulk threshold. Whereas it is perhaps days earlier than remaining outcomes are declared, Mamdani’s win seems all however sure, as demonstrated by Cuomo’s concession.
Candidate for New York Metropolis mayor Zohran Mamdani is greeted by a supporter on the subway following a marketing campaign cease in New York Metropolis, US, April 1, 2025 (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid (Reuters))
Was Mamdani’s win anticipated?
Probably not. Within the weeks main as much as the Democratic mayoral major, most main polls projected Cuomo because the frontrunner, although they did present assist for Mamdani choosing up because the election drew nearer.
A Marist Ballot performed on June 18, simply six days earlier than the first, confirmed Cuomo main the pack with 38 p.c of first-choice votes. Mamdani trailed with 27 p.c. The ballot additionally simulated ranked-choice outcomes and forecast that Cuomo would ultimately attain a 55 p.c majority in later rounds, suggesting sturdy second- and third-choice assist amongst voters.
Equally, an earlier Emerson Faculty ballot from late Might confirmed Cuomo held 37 p.c of the first-choice vote, whereas Mamdani got here in at 17 p.c. A extra dated Siena/AARP ballot from April put Cuomo even additional forward, with 39 p.c of the vote in contrast with Mamdani’s 15 p.c.
Cuomo had identify recognition that’s nearly unmatched in New York – his father, Mario Cuomo, was additionally a governor of the state. He had a well-funded marketing campaign that flooded airwaves and mailboxes throughout the town.
However Mamdani’s grassroots marketing campaign – powered by volunteers, small-dollar donations, and robust turnout amongst youthful voters – proved decisive. He focused working-class New Yorkers, notably in Queens, Brooklyn, and components of Manhattan.
Cuomo and different Democrats had criticised Mamdani as unfit for the NYC mayor’s workplace, arguing he lacked the executive expertise to navigate the town’s advanced paperwork and handle crises successfully. On Tuesday, it turned clear that their pitch didn’t work.
Wo i’s Zohran Mamdani?
Zohran kwame mamdani is a 33-year-old democratic socialist and the son of ugandan tutorial mahmood mamdinani and Indian filmmaker Mira nair.
Born in Kampala, Mamdani moved to New York on the age of seven. He earned a Bachelor’s diploma in Africana Research from Bowdoin Faculty in Maine. Previous to getting into politics, he labored as a housing counselor, helping low-income households in stopping evictions.
Within the 2020 New York State Meeting election, he was elected from the thirty sixth district, representing Astoria, Queens.
Early this 12 months, he married Rama Duwaji, a 27-year-old Syrian artist based mostly in Brooklyn. Her work has been featured in publications like The New Yorker, The Washington Submit, and VICE, and she or he additionally engages in animation and ceramics.
New York mayoral candidate, State Consultant Zohran Mamdani, kisses the hand of his spouse Rama Duwaji as they have fun throughout an election night time gathering at The Greats of Craft LIC on June 24, 2025 (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Photos/AFP)
What are his views on the Gaza warfare?
Mamdani has been among the many most vocal American elected officers criticising Israel’s warfare on Gaza. In an October 31, 2024, publish on X, Mamdani said, “I’ll at all times be clear in my language and based mostly in information: Israel is committing a genocide.”
He has additionally been a robust supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) motion. At an occasion in Manhattan earlier this month, he linked that assist to “the core of my politics, which is non-violence”.
A headline second in his marketing campaign got here throughout a December 2024 interview with Mehdi Hasan, when he was requested what he would do if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited New York. Mamdani replied bluntly: “As mayor, I might have Netanyahu arrested if he got here to New York!”
“It is a metropolis (the place) our values are consistent with worldwide legislation. It’s time that our actions are additionally,” he advised Hasan.
Mamdani additionally refused to distance himself from the slogan “Globalize the Intifada”, a phrase that many Jewish leaders and conservative commentators have criticised as inflammatory and accused of being anti-Semitic.
Responding to questions in regards to the slogan, Mamdani mentioned on a June 2025 episode of The Bulwark podcast: “As a Muslim man who grew up publish‑9/11, I’m all too acquainted (with) the way in which by which Arabic phrases could be twisted, could be distorted, can be utilized to justify any sort of that means.” He added that the slogan was somewhat about solidarity with oppressed individuals globally – not a name to violence.
Cuomo’s marketing campaign additionally picked up on Mamdani’s Muslim id and criticised his pro-Palestine stand, alleging he has engaged in anti-Semitism. New York, the place the United Nations has its headquarters, is dwelling to the biggest Jewish group on the earth, outdoors Israel.
In a June 2025 interview, whereas addressing Islamophobic threats he had obtained, Mamdani mentioned: “There is no such thing as a room for anti-Semitism on this metropolis or nation.” He has repeatedly burdened that his critique is directed on the US and Israeli governments’ insurance policies, not at Jews.
Mamdani’s marketing campaign was pushed by greater than 22,000 grassroots volunteers and endorsements from progressive heavyweights like Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and the Working Households Celebration.
What are a few of his different key guarantees?
Mamdani’s marketing campaign for the New York Metropolis mayor place is centered on an formidable and progressive coverage platform geared toward redistributing wealth, increasing public companies, and remodeling city life.
One among his flagship proposals is to make all metropolis buses free by 2027. Mamdani has pointed to the success of pilot programmes the place fare-free buses led to increased ridership and fewer assaults on drivers.
Housing is one other pillar of Mamdani’s platform, the place he proposes a hire freeze on all rent-stabilised flats and plans to determine a Social Housing Improvement Company that might construct publicly-owned, completely inexpensive housing. He has known as for stronger tenant protections and has proposed rolling again hire hikes in city-owned properties.
Mamdani has additionally proposed opening one municipally owned grocery retailer in every borough, the place communities underserved by business chains can entry inexpensive, wholesome meals choices. He has pledged to develop free school-meal programmes to incorporate metropolis schools, and to supply common childcare and early education schemes.
To pay for all of it, Mamdani has pitched main tax reforms: Elevating the company tax price from 7.25 p.c to 11.5 p.c, and imposing a 2 p.c surcharge on people incomes greater than $1m per 12 months. In accordance with his marketing campaign, these measures may generate as much as $9.4bn yearly.
On public security, Mamdani proposed shifting assets away from the New York Police Division in the direction of a brand new Division of Neighborhood Security, which might home psychological well being professionals, disaster responders and outreach staff.
Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani prepares earlier than the New York Metropolis Democratic Mayoral Major Debate on the John Jay Faculty of Felony Justice within the Gerald W. Lynch Theater in New York Metropolis., US, June 12, 2025 (Vincent Alban/Pool by way of REUTERS)
What’s subsequent – and is Mamdani going to be the following mayor?
The overall mayoral election for New York Metropolis will happen on November 4 this 12 months. Mamdani will face Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, who beforehand misplaced the 2021 mayoral race by a large margin.
As soon as the first outcomes are formally introduced, Mamdani will change into the Democratic Celebration’s nominee for the November election. Given New York Metropolis’s overwhelming Democratic majority – Democrats outnumber Republicans by greater than 6 to 1 – he would be the agency favorite to change into the town’s subsequent mayor.
The final Republican to win a mayoral race in NYC was Michael Bloomberg in 2001, who received the race first as a Republican earlier than switching to Unbiased standing later in 2007 throughout his second time period.
