Zohran Mamdani wins NYC mayoral race : NPR

Zohran Mamdani will become the next mayor of New York, becoming the first Muslim and person of South Asian descent, and the youngest in more than a century, to hold the post.

The 34-year-old Ugandan-born democratic socialist defeated former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who was running as an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa in Tuesday's election, according to a campaign announcement from The Associated Press.

It's a remarkable achievement for Mamdani, who was a relatively unknown state legislator representing Queens when he entered the crowded mayoral race last year. He won the June Democratic primary by 12 percentage points, quickly becoming one of the most popular and polarizing policies along the way.

Some of Mamdani's major campaign promises include introducing free rides on city buses, a rent-stabilized freeze, universal child care, raising the minimum wage by 2030, and lowering the cost of living by raising taxes on large corporations and the top 1% of New Yorkers.

Mamdani also said he would stand up to President Trump, who has often criticized (and mischaracterized) Mamdani as a communist and repeatedly threatened cut federal funding to New York if he wins.

Critics point to Mamdani's relative inexperience and the political challenges he will face in implementing his ambitious and highly progressive agenda. And despite his repeated denials of anti-Semitism, his loud and long-standing criticism of the Israeli government and actions in Gaza has alienated some voters in the city where largest Jewish community outside of Israel.

But Mamdani's vision for a more accessible city, expressed through deft social media videos and upbeat personal interactions, clearly resonated with young and first-time voters (even outside New York).

He won the approval of many outstanding progressivesmobilized tens of thousands campaign volunteers and conducted double-digit lead in polls ahead of Election Day. Young voters are credited with likely supporting Mamdani. record turnout of early voters. After polls closed on Tuesday, it was clear his efforts had paid off.

Race result

The race for mayor of New York has unfolded in a series of dramatic twists, clashes and unlikely alliances.

Current mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, originally ran for reelection despite a controversial first term and record low showing. approval ratings. After the Trump administration officially closed the corruption case against him, he announced his re-election in June, this time as an independent candidate.

This allowed Adams to bypass the Democratic primary, in which Mamdani defeated Cuomo. Mamdani's victory was seen as a disappointment for the establishment, as Cuomo, 67, is the son of a three-time New York governor and himself held the post for a decade starting in 2011.

In 2021, after numerous women accused him of sexual harassment and questions began to pour in about the activities of his administration. nursing home resident management During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuomo resigned as governor to avoid a potential impeachment trial but denied all wrongdoing.

Hoping for a comeback, Cuomo entered the race for mayor in Marchsaying the city was “in crisis” and needed “effective leadership.” His program emphasized issues such as public safety, affordable housing, health care and the fight against anti-Semitism – with a more centrist position compared to Mamdani.

Cuomo returned to the race as an independent after his primary defeat, seeking to attract more moderate voters. He also received Adams' support after the mayor dropped out of school at the end of September.

At that point, the race had narrowed to three main contenders: Mamdani, Cuomo and Sliwa, the 71-year-old radio talk show host and founder of the metro patrol organization Guardian Angels, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

Sliwa, who ran against Adams in 2021, was determined to stay in this year's race despite finishing third in the polls and call editing quit his party, as well as Cuomo himself. They were worried that Sliwa would take votes away from Cuomo, leading Mamdani to victory.

Three met in half controversial debate in October, as Mamdani and Cuomo sparred over issues of integrity and experience, while Sliwa sought to portray them as two sides of the same ideological coin.

Tuesday's election marks a turning point for liberal New York and the Democratic establishment. Both were trying to decide how to respond to the Trump administration, which has targeted blue cities across the country (including the Big Apple) with funding cuts and National Guard troops.

The high stakes and voter enthusiasm for this election were evident long before Election Day, with the city Board of Elections saying 735,317 voters cast ballots during early voting. more than five times Number of early voters in 2021.