33-year-old Indian-American State Assembly man, Zohran Mamdani has defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor.
This marks a generational and ideological shift in the city’s political landscape.
Cuomo, 67, conceded late Tuesday night despite ranked-choice vote tabulations still underway, acknowledging Mamdani’s commanding lead.
“I said he won the primary election,” Cuomo told The New York Times, adding that he would assess the final vote counts before deciding whether to remain in the race as an independent in November.
If elected, Mamdani would become the first Muslim and Indian-American to serve as mayor of New York City.
Born in Uganda and raised in Queens, Mamdani is a democratic socialist who ran on a bold progressive platform that energized young voters and immigrant communities. He secured high-profile endorsements from Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders.
“Our city is at risk of losing what makes it special,” Mamdani said at a campaign rally. “This victory proves New Yorkers are ready for bold solutions.”
His platform includes universal childcare, free public bus services, rent freezes for subsidized housing, and city-run grocery stores, all funded by higher taxes on the wealthy.
Cuomo’s campaign was widely seen as a comeback attempt after his 2021 resignation as governor amid a sexual harassment scandal.
Despite his former popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, he struggled to gain traction against Mamdani’s energized grassroots campaign.
Political analyst Trip Yang described Mamdani’s victory as “the biggest upset in modern NYC history,” saying it signals “a clear rejection of establishment politics” within the Democratic base.
With NYC considered a Democratic stronghold, Mamdani is now the front runner for the general election in November.
