Zohran Mamdani wins New York City mayor’s race
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Zohran Mamdani has been elected mayor of New York City, capping a stunning ascent for the 34-year-old state lawmaker, who is set to become the city’s most liberal mayor in generations.
In a victory for the Democratic party’s progressive wing, Mamdani defeated former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
Mamdani must now navigate the unending demands of America’s biggest city and deliver on ambitious — sceptics say unrealistic — campaign promises.
With the victory, the democratic socialist will etch his place in history as the city’s first Muslim mayor, the first of South Asian heritage and the first born in Africa.
He will also become the city’s youngest mayor in more than a century when he takes office on January 1.
Mamdani and Cuomo voted on Tuesday morning in Queens and Manhattan, respectively, while Sliwa had already cast his ballot during early voting.
The race has made Mamdani a national figure as he has drawn the ire of Trump and other Republicans, who have tried to cast him as the face of a new, more radical Democratic Party.
Trump has also threatened to take over the city if Mamdani wins, as well as arrest and deport the state assembly member, who was born in Uganda but is a US citizen.
Trump reluctantly endorsed Cuomo on the eve of the election, saying Mamdani would bring “disaster” to the city and encouraging Sliwa backers to vote for the former governor instead.
Mamdani proposed raising taxes on the richest New Yorkers and using the money to make city buses free and provide free, universal child care. He has also promised to freeze rent for people living in about one million rent-regulated apartments.
Cuomo, 67, positioned himself as a seasoned executive capable of managing the city’s vast bureaucracy, drawing a contrast with Mamdani’s relative inexperience.
Cuomo’s experience as governor was perhaps also his biggest vulnerability.
He resigned in 2021 following a report from the attorney general that concluded that Cuomo had sexually harassed at least 11 women.
Some of the women complained about unwanted touches, flirting, kisses and suggestive comments. One aide filed a police report accusing him of groping her breast, though a district attorney declined to prosecute.
Cuomo initially apologised for some of his behaviour, saying he had fallen out of step with what is considered appropriate workplace conduct.
However, in recent months, he has been defiant – calling his accusers liars and blaming his downfall on political adversaries.
AP
