In a historic victory following a campaign to remember, Democrat Zohran Mamdani has defeated Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa to become the next mayor of New York City.
On Nov. 4th, Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani was elected the next mayor of New York City. 34-year-old Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, will be the youngest New York mayor in a century. Utilizing a social media-heavy campaign which embraced energy, youth, and a progressive agenda, Mamdani first made his presence known by defeating former governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic gubernatorial primary by a 56.4% to 43.6% margin in July.
Mamdani, a native of Queens and a representative of the 36th Assembly District, ran on a campaign that emphasized the lack of affordability in New York City. His notable campaign promises included fast and free buses, free childcare until five years of age, rent freezes and public-run grocery stores. His campaign slogan, “Afford to Live & Afford to Dream,” encapsulates the mayor-elect’s optimistic, yet daring approach to reimagine governing the most populated city in the country.
On the eve of the election, New Yorkers were uncertain about the future of their city and the results of the mayoral race. On November 3rd, President Donald J. Trump provided a rare endorsement of Cuomo, the democratic candidate. Trump furthered his support for Cuomo by threatening to withhold federal funding from New York City if Mamdani was elected.
Critics of Mamdani call the young electee idealistic and unrealistic. Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate for mayor in New York City, called out Mamdani’s lack of experience and political know-how. During the second mayoral debate, Sliwa quipped that Mamdani’s “résumé could fit on a cocktail napkin”, while Cuomo noted that “[President Trump] thinks he’s a kid and he’s going to knock him on his tuchus.”
A critical element of the NYC mayoral election came down to Sliwa splitting the vote between Mamdani and Cuomo, who served as the governor of New York from 2011 to 2021, but resigned during his third term amid 13 sexual assault allegations from state employees. Cuomo, who Mamdani and Sliwa labeled Trump’s “puppet,” saw his chances diminish greatly as the Republican candidate stole crucial votes from the campaign. Curtis Sliwa, who has run for mayor once in the past and embraced a campaign of eccentricity and increased safety, stood little chance in a city who has not elected a Republican mayor since Michael Bloomberg in 2009.
Mamdani speaks at a October 26 rally in Forest Hill Stadium in Queens. The mayor-elect was joined by Senator Bernie Sanders, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul. David Bien-Aime | The Montclarion
Mamdani has some big promises to live up to following a campaign which electrified progressives across the country. Mamdani’s campaign, which brought about his rise from an unknown assemblyman to Gen Z icon in only a year, also saw him defeat the heir to New York City political royalty. At an Oct. rally in Queens, Mamdani noted that when the campaign began, “there was not a single television camera there to cover it…Four months later and as recently as this February, our support had reached eye-watering heights of 1%.”
Mamdani’s election says a lot about the power of social media in political campaigning and messaging. The mayor-elect utilized social media platforms like X, Instagram and TikTok early and often to assemble a movement of young progressives behind him.
Also embracing the endorsement and support of Senator Bernie Sanders, the underdog in the race seemed to do everything right in order to gain the backing of the young generation.
Mamdani, the first-elected Muslim mayor in New York City history, also endured Islamophobia and criticism for his alleged communist beliefs. Nicknamed “Mam-commie” by Republican commentators, Mamdani has repeatedly rejected the Communist label assigned to him, and instead sticks with a label of Democratic Socialist, much like notable Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (New York) and Rashida Tlaib (Michigan).
Now that he has been elected as mayor, Mamdani has a daunting task ahead of him: making his campaign promises come true. Syracuse University political science professor Grant Reeher told The Guardian that New York City is “notoriously difficult to govern… It’s arguably the second hardest political job in the United States, after the president. So whatever he’s able to accomplish, it won’t be easy.”
Regardless of what happens next, one thing is certain: The youngest mayor in New York City history will certainly have his work cut out for him. As Mamdani seeks to take on the billionaires and oligarchs in the most populated city in America, the goal is clear: restore affordability in New York City once and for all.
