Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani was elected the 111th mayor of New York City on Tuesday, defeating former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, and making history as the first Muslim to become mayor of the city.
The 34-year-old Democratic-Socialist politician and state assemblyman from Queens secured victory with more than 50 percent of the vote. Cuomo (67) finished second with just over 40 percent, while Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa received just over 7 percent of the vote.
Mamdani’s historic victory was announced amid a wave of Democratic victories across the country, as Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger became Virginia’s first female governor, Mikie Sherrill defeated an opponent backed by US President Donald Trump in New Jersey, and California voted on a redistricting proposal that would give the party five new seats in Congress.
The crowd at Mamdan’s election party at the Brooklyn Paramount erupted in joy after the Associated Press announced the winner of the race. People cheered and hugged each other in joy.
In addition to being the first Muslim to become mayor of New York, Mamdani is also the first mayor of South Asian descent and the youngest in more than a century.
The current mayor, Eric Adams, who was running for a second term as an independent, withdrew from the race in September.
When Mamdani launched his mayoral campaign last fall, he was a relatively unknown state legislator. But his message, centered on affordability and commuting, quickly gained traction and resonated with thousands of New Yorkers. His platform called for a rent freeze for rent-stabilized apartments, more affordable housing, a minimum wage increase to $30 an hour, free public bus transportation, higher taxes for the city’s wealthiest, and more progressive measures.
The race attracted national attention, with politicians and analysts from across the political spectrum taking part in the debate. Even Donald Trump got involved, calling Mamdan a “radical” and a “communist.”
On Monday, on the eve of the election, Trump endorsed Cuomo for mayor, saying that if Mamdani wins, it would be “very unlikely” that the city would receive federal funds “other than the bare minimum needed.”
“Whether or not you personally like Andrew Cuomo, you really have no choice. You have to vote for him and hope he does a great job. He is capable of it, Mamdani is not!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Billionaire Elon Musk also urged New Yorkers to vote for Cuomo.
Born in Uganda to Indian parents, Mamdani moved to New York with his family at the age of seven and became a U.S. citizen in 2018. In July, Trump mentioned the possibility of revoking Mamdani’s citizenship — a threat he condemned as “not only an attack on our democracy, but also an attempt to send a message to every New Yorker who refuses to hide in the shadows: if you speak up, they will come after you.”
Despite the attacks, Mamdani’s campaign had a domino effect across the country. In August, The Guardian reported that his campaign had inspired over 10 progressives in the US to consider running for public office.
