Campaigning the cost of living issues, Mamdani defeated former governor Andrew Cuomo and his $25 million super PAC.
Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old state legislator, declared victory in the Democratic mayoral primary in New York City after beating former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in a landslide victory in the first round of the vote.
“In Nelson Mandela’s words, it always seems impossible until it’s done. My friend, it’s over. And you’re the one who did it. I’m honored to be your Democratic candidate for New York City mayor,” Mamdani tweeted Wednesday morning.
According to the first results, Mamdani secured 43.5% of the votes for Cuomo’s 36.4%, and had big victories in most of Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan, with Cuomo winning the Bronx and Staten Island.
Mamdani was relatively unknown before the primary election, but after President Donald Trump took office, he gained traction as a self-proclaimed “democratic socialist” during a period of rapid national politics.
His story reflects the story of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. This is another democratic socialist who fell into political fame in the United States in 2018 with a surprising victory in the New York Congressional election, but the primary is not over yet.
In Nelson Mandela’s words, it seems that it is always impossible until it is complete.
My friend, that’s over. And you’re the one who did it.
I am honored to be a Democratic candidate for New York City Mayor. pic.twitter.com/agw0z30xw1
– Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@zohrankmamdani) June 25th, 2025
New York’s major voting procedures allow voters to rank five top candidates, so voters must count first-choice picks in the coming days.
Experts say that the Associated Press news agency said that strategic alliances with other candidates are likely to lead to Mamdani above the 50% threshold.
New York City is also the Democratic Party’s home. So, if Mamdani is likely to become the first mayor of Asian heritage and can defeat incumbent Eric Adams, the first Muslim mayor will be Republican candidate Curtis Swawa.
Mamdani was born in Uganda to parents of an Indian heritage and moved to the United States at an early age. His mother is award-winning film director Mira Naia and Ugandan-born father Mahmoud Mamdani is a professor at Columbia University.
Mamdani’s people of the Palestinian cause attracted anti-Semitism accusations from some New Yorkers during the campaign, but gained the support of progressive, young voters critical of the US support for Israeli war with Gaza.
I’m always clear and based in my language. Israel is committing genocide. pic.twitter.com/kft223zvja
– Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@zohrankmamdani) October 31, 2024
“Responsibility for supporting international law”
New York has the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, but also has a considerable Muslim community. In other words, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict resonates particularly with voters, even during city elections.
In the days leading up to the election, Mamdani worked directly into some of these issues in a Late Show interview with Stephen Colbert.
Following a question from famous American comedian Colbert, Mamdani said that while he agreed to Israel’s right to exist, he also “responsible for supporting international law.”
He also acknowledged the rise in anti-Semitic violence across the United States, and proposed establishing a Community Safety Agency in New York and raising 800% of funds for anti-hate crime programming.
Mamdani’s campaign also focuses on the cost of living facing New Yorkers, seeking rent, free buses and city-owned grocery stores.
Cuomo, 67, was initially considered a candidate for founding, but the controversy surrounding his campaign gave Mamdani even more support.
Cuomo was forced to resign as governor of New York in 2021 over allegations of sexual misconduct, and his run to mayor was seen as an attempt to remake his image.
But despite securing support for some of New York’s wealthiest, like $25 million super PAC, or the independent spending-only political action committee, and New York’s wealthiest, billionaire Michael Bloomberg, the New York Times, he has been unable to shake off his past scandals.
