Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani has been elected the 111th mayor of New York City, defeating former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. The 34-year-old state assembly member from Queens secured more than 50% of the vote, making history as the city's first Muslim mayor and its youngest in over a century.
Mamdani's victory was part of a strong night for Democrats nationwide, with Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger becoming Virginia's first female governor and Mikie Sherrill winning the New Jersey gubernatorial race. The current mayor, Eric Adams, who had sought re-election as an independent, dropped out in September.
Mamdani's grassroots campaign focused on affordability, including rent freezes, increased minimum wage to $30 an hour, free buses, and higher taxes on the wealthy. He defeated Cuomo in the June Democratic primary by nearly 13 points, galvanising a coalition of young and first-time voters. Cuomo, who resigned as governor in 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations, continued his independent campaign but trailed in polls throughout the summer and autumn.
Mamdani received endorsements from prominent progressives such as Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as well as New York Governor Kathy Hochul and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. However, Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand did not endorse in the race.
