NEW YORK CITY (WPIX) – Zohran Mamdani has won the election for New York City mayor, the Associated Press projected Tuesday night.
Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist, defeated independent former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa for the seat. It’s a stunning win from a campaign that catapulted from near obscurity to a nationwide phenomenon.
The state assemblymember started the race as an underdog, polling at 18% in March. Just two weeks before the primary election, Mamdani surpassed Cuomo in the polls for the first time. He won the Democratic primary with 43.8% of the vote.
“If this campaign has demonstrated anything to the world, it is that our dreams can become reality,” Mamdani said in his primary victory speech. “We have given our city permission to believe again.”
Mamdani campaigned on affordability, promising fast and free buses, universal child care, and a rent freeze for stabilized units.
His platform and social-media-heavy approach garnered national attention and support from high-profile Democrats, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Critics say Mamdani is inexperienced, will drive out wealthy New Yorkers, and criticized his stance on Israel.
He is the youngest person to be elected mayor of New York City in over a century. He’s also the city’s first Muslim mayor and the first immigrant mayor in modern times.
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