Zohran Mamdani, a rising figure on the American left, has been officially confirmed as the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, according to results released on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old democratic socialist secured victory with 56 percent of the vote, defeating former governor Andrew Cuomo, who garnered 44 percent, in the third round of counting.
As no candidate achieved an outright majority in the June 25 primary, election officials initiated a ranked-choice voting process, eliminating lower-ranking candidates and redistributing votes until a winner emerged.
But after Mamdani earned 43 percent outright, Cuomo — aiming for a comeback after a sex scandal — conceded defeat the night of the vote, a stunning outcome for the Democrats.
Staunchly pro-Israel Cuomo led in polls for most of the race, with massive name recognition as well as support from powerful centrist figures including former president Bill Clinton.
“Democrats spoke in a clear voice, delivering a mandate for an affordable city, a politics of the future, and a leader unafraid to fight back against rising authoritarianism,” Mamdani said Tuesday.
Born in Uganda of South Asian parents, New York state assemblyman Mamdani would be the first Muslim mayor of the heavily Democratic city if he wins the general election in November.
Polling currently shows him ahead of current Mayor Eric Adams and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa for the November vote.
Adams was elected in 2021 as a Democrat but is running as an independent.
Mamdani and others have accused the mayor of allowing the Trump administration to conduct immigration raids in exchange for burying federal corruption charges against Adams.
Cuomo is still weighing a possible run as an independent, which could further complicate the race.
The mayoral contest has catapulted Mamdani from an unknown to the national stage, with Democrats debating if he is too far-left or just what is needed to beat back President Donald Trump’s MAGA agenda.
Asked on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday if he is a communist, Mamdani responded with a negative but added, “I don’t think that we should have billionaires.”
“Frankly, I’ve heard he’s a total nut job,” Trump said Tuesday morning. “I think the people in New York are crazy because they go this route.”
