Zohran Mamdani, 34, is projected to be victorious in New York City’s mayoral race, a competition that mobilized youthful voters and ignited discussions about the Democratic Party’s future path.
Born in Uganda, Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Party, triumphed over former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent, making him the youngest individual in more than a century to govern the largest city in the United States.
Identifying as a democratic socialist, he focused on affordability as the key theme of his campaign, vowing to enhance social programs financed by new taxes imposed on high earners and corporations.
Mamdani was largely unknown in the New York State Assembly until his campaign gained traction online a few months ago, leading him to victory in the Democratic primary this past summer.
According to projections from CBS, a partner of BBC News, Mamdani has received 50.3% of the votes, while Cuomo garnered 41.6%. Republican Curtis Sliwa secured a little over 7%. Soon after the winner was announced, Sliwa conceded.
“We have a mayor-elect,” Sliwa addressed a crowd of supporters. “Clearly, I wish him well, because if he succeeds, we all succeed.”
“We have been with them, day in and day out, and we will not give up, we will not back down, we will not abandon this great city of New York.”
Cuomo similarly conceded, offering congratulations to Mamdani amidst boos from his backers. “This reaction is inappropriate,” he admonished.
“Tonight belongs to them. Our city is the finest in the world, and we will come together for New York City because we cherish it,” he expressed, promising to assist the incoming administration.
This moment is historic as Mamdani also becomes the inaugural South Asian and Muslim leader of the city.
However, Mamdani’s campaign has attracted considerable national scrutiny, including remarks from US President Donald Trump, who, in the lead-up to the election, threatened to withhold federal funds from New York if Mamdani, whom he labelled a communist, was victorious.
There are uncertainties surrounding how he will fund his ambitious social initiatives, and critics have raised concerns about how a politician with no executive experience will navigate a contentious Trump administration.
On Tuesday evening, Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson took to X to critique the “consequences” of New York City’s decision. “Zohran Mamdani’s election heralds the radical transformation of the Democrat Party into a big-government socialist entity,” he stated.
The president also shared on social media, attributing the shutdown and his absence from the ballot to the Republican losses on Tuesday night.
Centrist Democrats achieved success in gubernatorial elections on Tuesday night, with US Representative Abigail Spanberger and US Representative Mikie Sherrill securing victories to lead the states of Virginia and New Jersey respectively.
Mamdani’s victory also poses a challenge for the Democratic establishment, which has been hesitant to support him. Nevertheless, he was anticipated to win New York City’s election, consistently leading Cuomo and Sliwa in the polls by double digits in the weeks leading up to Election Day.
Having been a relatively obscure figure just months prior, his surge from hip-hop artist and housing counselor to frontrunner for a city with a $116bn (£88bn) budget and international attention was unexpected.
The former New York assemblyman focused his campaign on affordability in one of the priciest cities in the nation, advocating for initiatives such as universal child care and more efficient public transport.
His candidacy faced backlash from business leaders and centrist Democrats, some of whom opted not to endorse him, including New Yorker and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Republicans have capitalized on his anticipated victory to portray the Democratic Party’s future as socialist. President Donald Trump has consistently criticized Mamdani and threatened to withdraw federal funding from the city if he emerges victorious.
Despite this, Mamdani triumphed even after the resignation of New York Mayor Eric Adams due to several controversies, which was believed to bolster Cuomo’s campaign.
