NEW YORK CITY—Self-described democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani has been elected to serve as the next mayor of New York City, the most populous city in the country.
The Associated Press called the race at 9:34 p.m. EST on Nov. 4 with 50 percent of the vote counted, declaring the Democratic nominee victorious over both former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
Just before 9 p.m., when polls closed, the New York City Board of Elections announced that votes had surpassed 2 million for the first time since 1969.
“The future is in our hands,” Mamdani said in a victory speech before hundreds of supporters in the New York City borough of Brooklyn.
Uncertain Future
Mamdani’s victory in the race to lead the city of more than 8 million people represents one of the most significant victories for the political left flank of the Democratic Party in recent history.
Mamdani, 34, calls himself a democratic socialist, aligning with left-wing populist figures such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), both of whom have endorsed the candidate.
Notably, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) did not endorse the candidate, while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) gave his endorsement in the final stretches of the campaign.
Mamdani ran on a platform of city-run grocery stores, free buses, rent freezes for stabilized tenants, free child care, a minimum wage of $30 per hour by 2030, a tax on those making more than $1 million annually, and the creation of a department of community safety.
The mayor-elect has also come into conflict with President Donald Trump. Mamdani has promised to “Trump-proof” the city, namely by working against Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in New York City.
Trump has described Mamdani as a communist and vowed to reduce federal funding to the city to “the very minimum as required” by law if the nominee were elected.
In a last-minute bid to defeat Mamdani, Trump announced on Nov. 3 that he was backing Cuomo for the job, describing a vote for Sliwa as being effectively “a vote for Mamdani.”
Other Republicans have been eyeing a strategy to potentially keep Mamdani from being sworn in at all, citing the 14th Amendment prohibition on insurrectionists holding office.
According to Republicans, this provision could be applied to Mamdani’s anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement comments, although such a move would require congressional input and 60 votes in the Senate.
Although that option is unlikely to work, Mamdani seems on track for conflict with Washington moving forward.
Affordability and Trump
Speaking to The Epoch Times on Election Day, voters in New York City revealed that they had two primary considerations in who they supported: affordability and the prospect of conflict with Trump.
As a property owner in the New York City borough of Manhattan, Mary Wagman said one of her key issues in the mayoral election was housing.
“I’m unclear as to real estate’s future,” Wagman, 50, said after voting at The New School on 12th Street in Manhattan. “I’m Jewish and have been schooled by many of my friends about what could possibly happen. It made me think twice. I changed my mind a few times.”
Upper West Side resident Steve Fajen said a Trump–Cuomo alliance could be useful to the city because part of the mayor’s job will be to handle the president.
“Just look at Chicago,” Fajen told The Epoch Times after he cast his vote. “It concerns me that if Mamdani is mayor, he won’t be able to handle Trump. I have a lot more confidence in Cuomo.”
For Devin Bright, 34, who is pregnant, child care, affordability, and housing are high on her list of priorities.
“This election is an opportunity for the [Democratic] Party to get clarity on what the people really want and to help think about what their platform should be going forward,” Bright told The Epoch Times.
“It’s unusual to have two individuals who are grounded in the Democratic Party platform and running against each other.”
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