Democrat Zahran Mamdani wins New York City mayor

NEW YORK (AP) — Zahran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City on Tuesday, capping a stunning rise for the 34-year-old state lawmaker, who was set to become the city’s most liberal mayor in generations.

In a victory for the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, Mamdani defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Mamdani must now contend with the never-ending demands of America’s largest city and fulfill ambitious campaign promises — which skeptics say are unrealistic.

With this victory, the democratic socialist will engrave his place in history as the city’s first Muslim mayor, the first South Asian mayor, 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’s unexpected rise gives credibility to Democrats who have urged the party to embrace more progressive left-wing candidates rather than rally behind centrists in hopes of winning back swing voters who have left the party.

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He has already faced scrutiny from national Republicans, including President Donald Trump, who have eagerly viewed him as a threat and the face of what they say is a more extreme Democratic Party.

The contest led to the largest turnout in a mayoral race in more than 50 years, with more than 2 million New Yorkers casting ballots, according to the city’s Board of Elections.

Mamdani’s grassroots campaign focused on affordability, and his appeal spoiled Cuomo’s attempt to return to politics. The former governor, who resigned four years ago after sexual harassment allegations that he still denies, struggled with his past throughout the race and was criticized for running a negative campaign.

There is also the question of how he will deal with Trump, who has threatened to seize the city and arrest and deport Mamdani if ​​he wins. Mamdani was born in Uganda, where he spent his early childhood, but grew up in New York City and became a US citizen in 2018.

Mamdani must now begin building his ambitious agenda

Mamdani, who has been criticized throughout the campaign for his thin resume, will now have to start staffing his next administration before he takes office next year, and work out how he plans to achieve the ambitious but polarizing agenda that propelled him to victory.

Among the campaign promises are free child care, free city bus service, city-run grocery stores and a new Department of Community Safety that would send mental health care workers to handle certain emergency calls instead of police officers. It is unclear how Mamdani will finance the costs of such initiatives, given Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul’s consistent opposition to his calls to raise taxes on the wealthy.

His decisions about leading the New York Police Department will also be closely watched. Mamdani was a fierce critic of the administration in 2020, calling for defunding “this rogue agency” and criticizing it as “racist, homophobic, and a major threat to public safety.” He has since apologized for those comments and said he would ask the current NYPD commissioner to remain in his position.

Mamdani’s campaign was driven by his optimistic view of the city and his promises to improve the quality of life for the middle and lower classes.

But Cuomo, Sliwa and other critics attacked him for his harsh criticism of Israeli military operations in Gaza. Mamdani, a long-time advocate for Palestinian rights, accused Israel of genocide and said he would respect the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

How Mamdani conquered the city while Cuomo faltered

Mamdani began his campaign as a relatively obscure state legislator, unknown even within New York City.

Entering the Democratic primary, Cuomo was the favorite, with near-universal fame and deep political connections. Cuomo’s chances were further boosted when incumbent Mayor Eric Adams withdrew from the primary while dealing with the fallout from a now-dismissed federal corruption case.

But as the race progressed, Mamdani’s natural charm, engaging social media videos and his populist economic platform energized voters in the expensive city. He also began to attract outside attention as his name recognition grew.

In the end, Mamdani beat Cuomo in the primary by about 13 points.

The former governor relaunched his campaign as an independent candidate for the general elections, pledging to take to the streets with a more active approach. However, much of his campaign continued to focus on attacking opponents. In the final stage of the race, he claimed that Mamdani’s election would make Jews feel insecure.

Meanwhile, supporters packed Mamdani rallies, and he held outlandish events, including a scavenger hunt and a community soccer tournament.

Cuomo also juxtaposed his deep experience in government with Mamdani’s less than five years of experience in the state Legislature. But the former governor also faced his own political baggage, with his opponents digging into the sexual harassment allegations that led to his resignation, as well as his decisions during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels crime patrol group, also had his moments — mostly in the form of funny quips on the debate stage — but he had difficulty gaining traction as a Republican in a heavily Democratic city.

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