Zohran Mamdani makes history, elected New York City’s first Muslim mayor

In a landmark victory, Zohran Mamdani has been elected mayor of New York City, defeating former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.

Mamdani, a 34-year-old Democratic socialist and state assemblyman from Queens, will become the city’s first Muslim mayor and its youngest leader in more than a century.

According to unofficial results, Mamdani won over 50 percent of the vote, while Cuomo received around 41 percent and Sliwa about 7 percent. The victory follows a dynamic grassroots campaign built on small-donation fundraising, extensive social media engagement, and a

progressive agenda centered on affordability, housing reform, free public transit, and a $30 minimum wage.

Mamdani’s ascent marks a shift in New York’s political landscape, where voters appear to have favored a candidate focused on economic realities over establishment politics. Analysts say his message on affordability resonated strongly with working- and middle-class New Yorkers struggling with the city’s high cost of living.

The result also signals a broader Democratic resurgence in major urban centers, countering predictions of a conservative rebound.

Despite his decisive win, Mamdani faces steep challenges as he prepares to lead one of the world’s most complex cities. Turning ambitious campaign promises into actionable policies will require navigating entrenched bureaucratic systems and diverse political interests.

His positions on foreign policy-related issues, including Israel and antisemitism, are expected to draw scrutiny in a city with one of the largest Jewish populations globally.
A historic milestone

Mamdani’s election is historic not only because he is the first Muslim and first South Asian to hold the office, but also because it represents a generational shift in New York politics. At 34, he embodies the rise of a younger, more progressive generation within the Democratic Party.

Mamdani is scheduled to be sworn in on January 1, 2026, as the 111th mayor of New York City.

Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda to academic Mahmood Mamdani and filmmaker Mira Nair. The family immigrated to Cape Town, South Africa when he was five years old and then to the United States when he was seven, settling in New York City.

Mamdani graduated from the Bronx High School of Science and received a bachelor’s degree with a major in Africana studies from Bowdoin College in Maine in 2014.