NEW YORK: Zohran Mamdani has made history by winning the New York City mayoral election, becoming the first Muslim, the first person of South Asian descent, and the first person born in Africa to lead America’s largest city.
According to the latest count, with 90 percent of votes tallied, Mamdani secured a decisive 9-point lead over former governor Andrew Cuomo — receiving 1,033,471 votes to Cuomo’s 852,032. Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa trailed with about 7 percent of the vote.
Addressing jubilant supporters on Tuesday night, the 34-year-old state assemblyman and self-described democratic socialist declared victory, calling it a “mandate for change.”
“Tonight, against all odds, we have grasped it. The future is in our hands,” Mamdani said. “My friends, we have toppled a political dynasty.”
He dedicated his win to working-class New Yorkers, saying, “I speak of Yemeni bodega owners and Mexican abuelas, Senegalese taxi drivers and Uzbek nurses, Trinidadian line cooks and Ethiopian aunties… this city is your city, and this democracy is yours too.”
A win beyond identity
While Mamdani’s victory carries historic significance, supporters emphasised that his campaign was about affordability and a new brand of progressive politics — not just identity. His message resonated across diverse neighbourhoods, particularly among younger and working-class voters frustrated by rising living costs.
The race was widely viewed as a referendum on the direction of the Democratic Party. Cuomo, running as an independent after losing the Democratic primary, framed it as a “civil war” between moderates and the party’s growing left wing. “You have an extreme radical left run by socialists challenging moderate Democrats,” he said earlier on election day.
Cuomo conceded defeat hours later, telling supporters, “Tonight was their night.”
A generational shift
Mamdani’s supporters said his win represents a generational and ideological shift in city politics. “He’s new and he’s fresh. Maybe he can make a change and fix what’s messed up now,” said Lucy Cordero, 68, from the Bronx.
Joshua Wilson, a social worker from the same neighbourhood, said, “During Donald Trump’s second presidency, all eyes are on New York. People are scared of younger voices, but Mamdani is exactly what we need right now.”
Even former Cuomo voters said they were drawn to Mamdani’s bold vision. “We might as well balance what’s happening in the country by having someone from a very different perspective,” said Megan Marks, a Brooklyn resident.
‘A city led by an immigrant’
In his victory speech, Mamdani thanked those who “allowed themselves to hope that the impossible could be made possible.” He promised to unite New Yorkers of all faiths and backgrounds — including Jewish and Muslim communities — under a progressive vision for the city.
“No more will New York be a city where you can traffic in Islamophobia and win an election,” he said, taking a swipe at Cuomo’s campaign rhetoric.
“New York will remain a city of immigrants — a city powered by immigrants — and as of tonight, led by an immigrant,” Mamdani declared. “So hear me, President Trump, when I say this: to get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us.”
