DEMOCRATIC Socialist Zohran Mamdani has been elected mayor of New York City, making history as the first Muslim to hold the position.
The 34-year-old Queens assemblyman clinched the election after defeating former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in a major upset during the Democratic primary – and once again in the general election, along with Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.
Mamdani attracted voters with his grassroots campaign that focused on making New York City more affordable for lower-income residents.
He championed freezing rent for rent-stabilized apartments, building cheaper housing, and making bus rides completely free.
However, he also sparked debate for his proposal to open state-sponsored grocery stores and to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under international laws that the US doesn’t recognize.
Mamdani also won despite resurfaced videos showing him supporting radically progressive opinions, such as defunding the New York Police Department.
President Donald Trump has blasted Mamdani’s run since the young politician’s campaign gained momentum, and even endorsed Democrat Cuomo in the final hours of voting.
The president called Mamdani a “communist” and said New York City would have “zero chance of success or even survival” if he were elected.
“It is my obligation to run the Nation, and it is my strong conviction that New York City will be a Complete and Total Economic and Social Disaster should Mamdani win,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“His principles have been tested for over a thousand years, and never once have they been successful.”
Trump also threatened to pull federal funding from the city if Mamdani won.
“If Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the Election for Mayor of New York City, it is highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required, to my beloved first home, because of the fact that, as a Communist, this once great City has ZERO chance of success, or even survival!” the president wrote.
Mamdani backtracked on some of his earlier policy positions, like defunding the police, and made attempts to reach voters who disagreed with him, even appearing on Fox News to deliver a message to Trump that he’s “ready to speak any time.”
Meanwhile, Cuomo’s attempt to appeal to the city’s more moderate voters by calling attention to Mamdani’s age, inexperience, and “BS” policy positions.
“You get a little older, a little more mature, and you realize there’s nothing free, and the policies he’s talking about are all BS,” he said on a radio show on WABC 770 AM.
“And the fact that he has zero qualifications is actually quite dangerous.”
Mamdani, who turned 34 in October, will be the second youngest mayor in the city’s history.
Cuomo also attempted to persuade voters that a Mamdani victory would be a “gift” for Donald Trump to “take over” the city.
“[Trump] will take a picture of Mamdani and run around the country and say, here’s what happened to the Democrats,” Cuomo said.
“Mamdani is a gift for him … because it’s the excuse he needs to take over New York, which he said he will do.”
Trump and Cuomo both made urgent calls for Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa to drop out of the race, fearing he would split votes.
But Sliwa said that if Mamdani won because of his campaign, he would have no regrets.
“I trust people. People are going to make the choice. I’ll live with the choice,” Sliwa told CNN.
“I’d like them to choose me. But if, perchance, I lose on November 4, I will improve, not move. I will lead the opposition, I will organize against any of the initiatives that are not in the best interest of people.
“I was born in this city. I was almost killed in this city. I’ll die in this city. I’ll be buried in this city.”
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