Zohran Mamdani, 34, a Ugandan-born Democrat, has won the New York mayoral race, defeating former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who was running as an independent. He becomes the youngest person in more than a century to lead the largest city in the United States, as well as the first Muslim and South Asian mayor in its history.
Mamdani, who describes himself as a democratic socialist, based his campaign on lowering the cost of living, promising to expand social programs that would be financed by new taxes on the wealthy and corporations. He promised government “for all” and said that “power must return to the hands of working people.”
Before this race, Mamdani was a little-known figure in the New York State Assembly, but he gained huge popularity online, which helped him win the Democratic primary.
In the final results, he received about 50.3% of the vote, compared to Cuomo's 41.6% and just over 7% for Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.
His victory has sparked a wide-ranging debate in American politics about the direction the Democratic Party is taking, with critics calling Mamdani a “radical leftist.” President Donald Trump labeled him a “communist,” a definition Mamdani rejected.
However, in the face of the enthusiasm of victory, analysts emphasize that a major challenge awaits him: implementing ambitious social promises and cooperating with a potentially hostile federal administration.
Zohran Mamdani, born in Uganda to parents of Indian origin and raised in New York, is the son of the renowned Ugandan-Kenyan writer Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, and studied politics and economics.
Before entering politics, he worked as a community organizer in Queens, advocating for the rights of low-income residents and calling for reforms in the housing system, which also influenced voters.
Mamdani is married to director Sonya Orfali, and together they are active parts of the city's artistic and political community.
Today, he is the new progressive figure leading America's largest city.
