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New York mayoral candidates face off in test of Democratic Party Who is Zohran Mamdani?
(about 7 hours later)
Andrew Cuomo, left, and Zohran Mamdani Zohran Mamdani would be the city's first Muslim and South Asian mayor
A left-wing candidate has pulled up from behind to become the dark horse in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary. His surprise success is indicative of the debate raging within the Democratic Party on what kinds of leaders they want in the Trump era. Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assemblyman, is set to be the Democratic candidate for New York City Mayor, making history as the first Muslim nominee.
After Donald Trump's stunning 2024 presidential victory - where he made inroads in reliably liberal New York City - a millennial New York state assemblyman had a question. With 95% of ballots counted, Mamdani leads former governor Andrew Cuomo - who resigned that post after sexual harassment allegations in 2021 - 43% to 36% in the Democratic primary, propelled by a wave of grassroots support and a bold left-wing platform.
"What would it take for you to vote for a Democrat in the future?" Zohran Mamdani asked Bronx and Queens residents who either swung for Trump or didn't vote. "Tonight, we made history," Mamdani told supporters. "I will be your Democratic nominee for the mayor of New York City."
The query was part of a video series that went viral and helped make the 33-year-old democratic socialist - with little name recognition - into a serious contender for New York City's mayor. New York's ranked-choice voting system means the final result could still evolve, but Mamdani's lead and momentum appear decisive.
Democrats in New York flocked to the polls on Tuesday to choose a nominee to lead America's biggest city. His victory over Cuomo - once a dominant figure in state politics - marks a watershed moment for progressives and signals a shift in the city's political centre of gravity.
Results show Mamdani with a commanding lead, but falling short of the 50% threshold needed to win outright. From Uganda to Queens
It means counting looks likely to continue next week under ranked choice, which allowed New Yorkers to pick up to five candidates in order of preference. Born in Kampala, Uganda, Mamdani moved to New York with his family age seven. He attended the Bronx High School of Science and later earned a degree in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College, where he co-founded the campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine.
Nine people have been vying for the job, in a race that could have implications for the party nationally as it tries to take on Trump. The millennial progressive, who would be the city's first Muslim and South Asian mayor, has leaned into his roots in a diverse city. He's posted one campaign video entirely in Urdu and mixed in Bollywood film clips. In another, he speaks Spanish.
It is largely a battle between two very different candidates: Queens New York state assemblyman Zohran Mamdani and former Governor Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani and his wife, 27-year-old Brooklyn-based Syrian artist Rama Duwaji, met on the dating app Hinge.
What should Democrats do now? Everyone has a different answer His mother, Mira Nair, is a celebrated film director and his father Professor Mahmood Mamdani, teaches at Columbia. Both parents are Harvard alumni.
Democrats' bet on a generation of liberal voters has backfired badly Zohran Mamdani with his parents Mahmood Mamdani (R) and Mira Nair (L) and wife Rama Duwaji (C)
Democrats wrestle with 'geriatric' problem Mamdani presents himself as a candidate of the people and an organiser.
The race is being watched, not just by New Yorkers, but by Democrats across the country, as it is largely seen as a proxy war for the very real internal battle that has plagued the party ever since Trump won the presidency, expanding his appeal in parts of New York City in the process. "As life took its inevitable turns, with detours in film, rap, and writing," reads his state assembly profile, "it was always organising that ensured that the events of our world would not lead him to despair, but to action."
Since then, the party has been engaged in a soul searching mission between left-wing and moderates in the party. Before entering politics, he worked as a housing counsellor, helping low-income homeowners in Queens fight eviction.
Cuomo - the former New York governor - is largely viewed as the moderate "establishment" candidate, while Mamdani is garnering the support of many young and left-leaning voters. He has been compared to another democratic socialist and leading progressive voice, Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez. Both she and Senator Bernie Sanders have endorsed Mamdani. He has also made his Muslim faith a visible part of his campaign. He visited mosques regularly and released a campaign video in Urdu about the city's cost-of-living crisis.
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander is polling behind a distant third, but since the race uses ranked ballots, he could be a factor in future rounds of voting. "We know that to stand in public as a Muslim is also to sacrifice the safety that we can sometimes find in the shadows," he said at a rally this spring.
"There's nobody who represents the totality of the issues that I truly care about that's running for mayor currently other than Zohran,"Jagpreet Singh, political director for social justice organization DRUM, told the BBC.
Mamdani's affordability battleMamdani's affordability battle
Once 40 points behind, Mamdani has closed the gap with Cuomo and led in a few polls. Mamdani said that voters in the most expensive US city want Democrats to focus on affordability.
He said that voters in the most expensive US city want Democrats to focus on affordability. His platform includes free public buses, universal childcare, freezing rent in subsidized units, and city-run grocery stores.
"This is a city where one in four of its people are living in poverty, a city where 500,000 kids go to sleep hungry every night," he told the BBC at a recent event. "And ultimately, it's a city that is in danger of losing that which it makes it so special.""This is a city where one in four of its people are living in poverty, a city where 500,000 kids go to sleep hungry every night," he told the BBC at a recent event. "And ultimately, it's a city that is in danger of losing that which it makes it so special."
He has proposed:
Free bus service citywide
Rent freezes and stricter accountability for negligent landlords
A chain of city-owned grocery stores focused on affordability
Universal childcare for children aged six weeks to five years
Tripling the production of rent-stabilized, union-built housing
His plan also includes "overhauling" the Mayor's Office to hold property owners responsible and massively expanding permanently affordable housing.
In his campaign, he linked these policies to highly visual, and viral, gestures. He plunged into the Atlantic to dramatize rent freezes and broke a Ramadan fast on a subway train with a burrito to underscore food insecurity. Days before the primary, he walked the entire length of Manhattan, pausing for selfies with voters.
While he insists he can make the city more affordable, critics question such ambitious promises.While he insists he can make the city more affordable, critics question such ambitious promises.
The New York Times did not endorse anyone in the city's mayoral primary, and criticised the candidates generally. Its editorial board said Mamdani's agenda is "uniquely unsuited to the city's challenges" and "often ignores the unavoidable trade offs of governance." The New York Times did not endorse anyone in the city's mayoral primary and criticised the candidates generally. Its editorial board said Mamdani's agenda is "uniquely unsuited to the city's challenges" and "often ignores the unavoidable trade offs of governance."
His rent freezes would restrict housing supply, said the board.His rent freezes would restrict housing supply, said the board.
The millennial progressive, who would be the city's first Muslim and South Asian mayor, has leaned into his roots in a diverse city. Born in Uganda, his family moved to New York City when he was seven. He's posted one campaign video entirely in Urdu and mixed in Bollywood film clips. In another, he speaks Spanish. Left-wing Democrat stuns former governor in NY mayor primary
"There's nobody who represents the totality of the issues that I truly care about that's running for mayor currently other than Zohran," Jagpreet Singh, political director for social justice organization DRUM, told the BBC. Critics question experience
"I'm not going to hold my nose for the first time in a long time that I can remember to vote for a candidate." Cuomo and others frame Mamdani as untested and too radical for a city with a $115 billion budget and over 300,000 municipal workers.
Weighing candidates' experience Cuomo, backed by big donors and centrist endorsements including Bill Clinton, insisted experience matters, saying: "Experience, competence, knowing how to do the job, knowing how to deal with Trump, knowing how to deal with Washington, knowing how to deal with the state legislature, these are basics. I believe in on-the-job training, but not as the mayor of New York."
One big question is whether Mamdani's profile has risen enough to beat Cuomo, who has the power of name recognition. Nine candidates were running to be the Democratic nominee - here they appear at a mayoral debate in New York City 4 Jun.
The veteran politician is hoping for an official comeback after resigning as governor four years ago amidst an explosive sexual harassment scandal.
His ties to the city run deep, not just from his time as New York's governor but because of his father Mario Cuomo, who was the longest serving New York governor in modern history. Cuomo now leads among older New Yorkers and - crucially - black voters, who make up about a third of the electorate.
Cuomo has argued his reputation for being moderate is "a myth", citing legislation he passed on marriage equality, criminal justice reform, and climate change protection. He also faces criticism over Covid deaths in nursing homes and his management style.
At a rally hosted earlier this month by the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, which is among the unions endorsing Cuomo despite calling for his resignation four years ago, Judith Seemungal said she only remembers his support.
"Because of my union, I own a house in New York City, I send three of my grandsons to college, and Mr Andrew Cuomo always, always represents the union," she told the BBC.
Dehavin Irby, with Carpenters Local 571, also attended. "He's done good for us before," he said. "He already knows the city. I think I can trust him."
Cuomo told the BBC that middle class, working families who feel let down by the Democratic Party will ultimately break for his platform, which is focused on affordability and public safety. He attributes Mamdani's rise in polling to younger people attracted to free social programmes.
"There is no free lunch," Cuomo said.
Nine candidates are running to be the Democratic nominee - here they appear at a mayoral debate in New York City 4 Jun.
Mamdani doesn't have the experience to lead a city with 300,000 employees and a $115bn budget, said Cuomo.
"Experience, competence, knowing how to do the job, knowing how to deal with Trump, knowing how to deal with Washington, knowing how to deal with the state legislature, these are basics," he said. "I believe in on-the-job training, but not as the mayor of New York."
But Trip Yang, a political strategist, said "experience" isn't necessarily a game changer in this political era. And whether or not Mamdani wins, Mr Yang believes his campaign has done "the unthinkable."But Trip Yang, a political strategist, said "experience" isn't necessarily a game changer in this political era. And whether or not Mamdani wins, Mr Yang believes his campaign has done "the unthinkable."
"Zohran is powered by tens of thousands of volunteers, hundreds of thousands of unique donors. It's very rare to see a local Democratic primary New York campaign with this much amount of volunteer and grassroots excitement," he said."Zohran is powered by tens of thousands of volunteers, hundreds of thousands of unique donors. It's very rare to see a local Democratic primary New York campaign with this much amount of volunteer and grassroots excitement," he said.
"He understand us. He belong to us. He's from our community, you know, the immigrant community," added supporter Lokmani Rai."He understand us. He belong to us. He's from our community, you know, the immigrant community," added supporter Lokmani Rai.
Israel, Gaza and broken politics Israel and Palestine
At a recent Mamdani campaign event at a park in Jackson Heights, one of the most diverse communities in the country, children ran and played on swings, as Latino food vendors sold ice cream and snacks.At a recent Mamdani campaign event at a park in Jackson Heights, one of the most diverse communities in the country, children ran and played on swings, as Latino food vendors sold ice cream and snacks.
In many ways, the scene perfectly captured the city's diversity - what many Democrats consider New York's greatest asset. But the city is not without its racial and political tensions. Mamdani said he's received Islamophobic threats daily, some targeting his family. According to police, a hate-crimes investigation into the threats is underway.In many ways, the scene perfectly captured the city's diversity - what many Democrats consider New York's greatest asset. But the city is not without its racial and political tensions. Mamdani said he's received Islamophobic threats daily, some targeting his family. According to police, a hate-crimes investigation into the threats is underway.
He told the BBC that racism is indicative of what's broken in US politics, and criticized a Democratic Party "that allowed for Donald Trump to be re-elected" and fails to stand up for working people "no matter who they were or where they came from". He told the BBC that racism is indicative of what's broken in US politics and criticised a Democratic Party "that allowed for Donald Trump to be re-elected" and fails to stand up for working people "no matter who they were or where they came from".
The candidates' stances on the Israel-Gaza war also will be on voters' minds. The candidates' stances on the Israel-Gaza war was also likely on voters' minds.
Mamdani's strong support of Palestinians and criticism of Israel put him at odds with most of the Democratic establishment. For example, the assemblyman introduced a bill that would've ended tax-exempt status for New York charities with ties to Israeli settlements that violate international human rights law. Mamdani's strong support of Palestinians and staunch criticism of Israel put him at odds with most of the Democratic establishment. The assemblyman introduced a bill to end the tax-exempt status of New York charities with ties to Israeli settlements that violate international human rights law.
He's also been pressed numerous times by press in interviews to state whether he supports Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state. He has also said he believes Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, is an apartheid state, and that the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested. Israel vehemently rejects accusations of genocide and apartheid.
"I support Israel's right to exist as a state with equal rights," he said. "I'm not comfortable supporting any state that has a hierarchy of citizenship on the basis of religion or anything else, I think that in the way that we have in this country, equality should be enshrined in every country in the world. That's my belief." Mamdani has been pressed numerous times by press in interviews to state whether he supports Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state. In a response this month, he said: "I'm not comfortable supporting any state that has a hierarchy of citizenship on the basis of religion or anything else, I think that in the way that we have in this country, equality should be enshrined in every country in the world. That's my belief." Israel says all religions have equal rights under the law.
In contrast, Cuomo as governor signed an executive order directing state agencies to divest from companies supporting Boycott Divest Sanction campaigns against Israel, and has described himself as a "hyper supporter of Israel and proud of it". Mamdani has also said he accepts Israel's right to exist as a state, telling the Late Show on Monday that "like all nations, I believe it has a right to exist and a responsibility also to uphold international law".
Mamdani has also said that there is no room for antisemitism in New York City, adding that if he were elected, he would increase funding to combat hate crimes.
Cuomo, on the other hand, has described himself as a "hyper supporter of Israel and proud of it".
In many ways the issues facing New York Democrats are the same ones the party faces in future elections, and afterwards, the primary may be dissected nationally for what it says about the party - and how it should take on Trump.In many ways the issues facing New York Democrats are the same ones the party faces in future elections, and afterwards, the primary may be dissected nationally for what it says about the party - and how it should take on Trump.