- Zohran Mamdani elected New York city mayor, marking a major win for Democrats
- He defeated Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa in a historic mayoral race
- Mamdani is New York's first Muslim, South Asian heritage, and Africa-born mayor
In a big win for Democrats, Zohran Mamdani has been elected mayor of New York City, capping a stunning ascent for the 34-year-old state lawmaker, who was set to become the city's most liberal mayor in generations. Mamdani defeated former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa, etching his place in history as the city's first Muslim mayor, the first of South Asian heritage and the first born in Africa.
He will also become the city's youngest mayor in more than a century when he takes office on January 1.
In his first X post after his victory, Mamdani posted a video showing a New York subway train opening at City Hall, with the text "Zohran For New York City" emerging on the wall. In the background, the announcement, "The next and last stop is City Hall," can be heard. City Hall is the place where the mayor's office is located.
About Zohran Mamdani
Born on October 18, 1991, in Kampala, Uganda, Mamdani is the son of Ugandan scholar Mahmood Mamdani and acclaimed Indian filmmaker Mira Nair.
His early years took him from Uganda to South Africa and then to New York City, where he attended the Bank Street School for Children and Bronx High School of Science. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 2014 with a degree in Africana Studies, where he co-founded a Students for Justice in Palestine chapter.
Mamdani harnessed enthusiasm and social media savvy to become a rising star in the party, but his candidacy sparked an ideological divide. Trump, who has long inserted himself in the politics of his hometown, followed the race closely, dismissing Mamdani by falsely labelling him as a communist.
But the 34-year-old state lawmaker's grassroots campaign focused on making the city more affordable, proposing a rent freeze on stabilised units, construction of 2 lakh public housing units, universal childcare, tuition-free education, fare-free buses, and city-run grocery stores, making him a favourite of the masses.
He also backed raising the minimum wage to $30 an hour by 2030, funded through higher taxes on millionaires and corporations. Mamdani also called for shifting police resources toward community services and expanding public transit and bike infrastructure.
Journey Ahead
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.
He has already faced scrutiny from national Republicans, including President Trump, who have eagerly cast him as a threat and the face of what they say is a more radical Democratic Party. Now, there's the question of how he will deal with Trump, who threatened to take over the city and to arrest and deport Mamdani if he won.
Mamdani, who was criticised throughout the campaign for his thin resume, will now have to begin staffing his incoming administration before taking office next year and game out how he plans to accomplish the ambitious but polarising agenda that drove him to victory.
The contest in New York drove the biggest turnout in a mayoral race in more than 50 years, with more than 2 million New Yorkers casting ballots, according to the city's Board of Elections.
