Mamdani Wins NYC Mayoral Race In Historic Upset

NEW YORK—New York City has a new mayor: Zohran Mamdani. The 34-year-old Democratic Socialist is the city’s youngest leader in over a century and its first Muslim and African-born officeholder, securing a historic upset victory over independent candidate and former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.

Mamdani, who immigrated from Uganda as a child and resides in Queens, won on a platform focused on social and economic justice. Preliminary results show Mamdani winning by approximately a ten-point margin over Cuomo, signaling a strong shift toward progressive politics among young and working-class voters.

Before entering politics, Mamdani gained prominence as a rapper under the name Mr. Cardamom. He was elected State Assemblyman for Astoria, Queens, in 2020. During his term, he advocated for working-class residents and participated in a hunger strike to secure debt relief for taxi drivers.

Mamdani previously worked as a foreclosure prevention housing counselor, which informed his view that the city’s housing crisis is a failure of policy. His personal background reflects the city's diversity, as the son of a Ugandan professor and an Indian filmmaker.

His successful campaign centered on two main policy areas: affordable housing and public transportation.

Former Governor Andrew Cuomo's attempted political comeback failed to gain significant momentum. Cuomo ran as an independent after his defeat in the Democratic primary, but his campaign remained shadowed by his 2021 resignation following sexual harassment allegations.

The election drew national attention after President Donald Trump endorsed Cuomo, warning that a Mamdani administration could result in a cut-off of federal funds.

In his victory speech, Mamdani promised to counter politics of division and reaffirm the city's identity as a city of immigrants.

Mamdani's administration, which takes office on 1 January, faces immediate challenges, including securing approval for his fiscal plans from State Governor Kathy Hochul, who has opposed new income taxes, and navigating the city’s substantial budget and infrastructure issues.

(With report from Benjamin Cañamaso, TFCN Dubai)

Cover image: Zohran Mamdani Instagram