New York: Zohran Mamdani, Democrat candidate has secured a historic victory in New York City’s mayoral race Nov 4, 2025, defeating independent Andrew Cuomo. With this win, he becomes the city’s first muslim mayor and a leading progressive voice. The socialist leader will officially assume office from January 1, 2026, marking a new era for America’s largest city.
In his first post on X after the win, Mamdani shared a video of a subway train opening at City Hall. The words “Zohran For New York City” flashed on the wall, marking his new beginning. City Hall will soon serve as his workplace as he prepares to lead America’s largest city.
https://x.com/ZohranKMamdani/status/1985899742044262838
Mamdani defeated Cuomo for the second time, following his victory in the Democratic primary in June. Cuomo tried to make a political comeback but failed to regain voter trust. Meanwhile, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa ignored pressure from Cuomo’s supporters and stayed in the race until election day.
The election drew national attention, especially from U.S. President Donald Trump. On the eve of the vote, Trump attacked Mamdani on Truth Social, calling him a “Communist candidate.” He warned that he might cut federal funding for New York City if Mamdani won. Trump’s remarks further intensified the already heated contest.
Mamdani, a democratic socialist, ran on the Democratic ticket after defeating Cuomo and then-Mayor Eric Adams earlier in the year. His win signals a major political shift in New York. Moreover, it highlights the growing influence of progressive and socialist movements within the Democratic Party.
Born on October 18, 1991, in Kampala, Uganda, Zohran Kwame Mamdani is the son of scholar Mahmood Mamdani and filmmaker Mira Nair. His childhood took him from Uganda to South Africa and later to New York City. He studied at Bronx High School of Science and earned a degree in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College in 2014.
Before entering politics, Mamdani worked as a foreclosure prevention counselor and joined the Democratic Socialists of America in 2017. Voters elected him to the New York State Assembly in 2020 to represent Queens’ 36th District. During his tenure, he sponsored 20 bills, and three became law.
Outside politics, Mamdani performs hip-hop under the name “Young Cardamom.” He co-wrote the song #1 Spice for Disney’s Queen of Katwe and released Nani in 2019 as a tribute to his grandmother. He became a U.S. citizen in 2018 and married Syrian-American artist Rama Duwaji in 2025.
Mamdani built his campaign on affordability and social equity. He pledged rent freezes, 200,000 new public housing units, universal childcare, tuition-free education, and fare-free buses. He also proposed city-run grocery stores to make essential goods more accessible to New Yorkers.