Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist and state assembly member, has officially won New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo by a wide margin and shaking up the city’s political establishment.
Victory confirmed after ranked choice count
The Associated Press called the race Tuesday after the Board of Elections released the results of the ranked choice vote tabulation. Mamdani finished 12 percentage points ahead of Cuomo.
His win had been expected since he secured a commanding lead on June 24, but he fell just shy of the 50% threshold needed to avoid additional counting under the city’s ranked choice voting system.
“I am so humbled by the faith New Yorkers have placed in our movement,” Mamdani said in a statement. “This campaign was never about me—it was about building a city where working people come first.”
A stunning upset over a political heavyweight
Mamdani launched his campaign as a virtually unknown figure, while Cuomo leaned on decades of name recognition and his formidable fundraising machine. But Cuomo’s comeback bid was hampered by the sexual harassment scandal that forced his resignation four years ago.
Even before results were finalised, Mamdani’s apparent victory stunned political observers.
“This is not the end of the race, but it is the start of a new era,” Mamdani declared on election night.
Populist platform resonates with voters
Mamdani built his campaign around pledges to expand city services and rein in inequality:
- Free city buses
- Free child care
- A rent freeze for tenants in rent-stabilized apartments
- Government-run grocery stores
- Higher taxes on the wealthy to pay for it all
Critics quickly labeled the proposals “fantasy economics.”
Cuomo repeatedly called Mamdani’s agenda unrealistic, saying, “New Yorkers deserve practical solutions, not pie-in-the-sky promises.”
Democratic establishment wary of embrace
While some Democratic leaders have praised Mamdani’s energy, many remain cautious. His criticisms of law enforcement, his use of the term “genocide” to describe Israeli actions in Gaza, and his embrace of democratic socialism have become lightning rods.
“If I’m a Republican, I want this guy to win,” said Grant Reeher, a political science professor at Syracuse University. “Because I want to be able to compare and contrast my campaign to the idea that ‘this is where the Democratic Party is.’”
General Election field takes shape
Mamdani will now face a crowded general election that includes:
- Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, running as an independent after dropping out of the Democratic primary amid a now-dismissed bribery case.
- Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.
- Independent candidate Jim Walden.
Mamdani’s upset is already being hailed by progressives as proof that a bold populist platform can win in the nation’s largest city.
“Zohran has shown that you can run on a vision that inspires people, not just on fear,” said City Council Member Tiffany Cabán, a progressive ally.
Still, Republicans wasted no time seizing on the result as evidence Democrats are veering too far left.
“This is the socialist takeover of New York City,” Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller said in a statement.
Certification
The city’s Board of Elections is scheduled to certify the final results by July 15.
In the meantime, Mamdani said his team is preparing for an intense general election campaign: “The work isn’t over,” he told supporters. “The stakes are too high to let up now.”