Zohran Mamdani wins New York City's Democratic mayoral primary

New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani won the primary race on Tuesday night after pulling off a stunning upset by beating rival Andrew Cuomo, a seasoned politician and former governor of the state.

The relatively unknown upstart, 33, born in Uganda, moved to New York with his family aged seven. He beat the odds to declare victory in the contest after gaining a substantial lead over his rival, who resigned as governor due to a sex scandal in 2021.

"I will be the mayor for every New Yorker, whether you voted for me, for Governor Cuomo, or felt too disillusioned by a long-broken political system to vote at all," he said. "I will work to be a mayor you will be proud to call your own."

Mamdani, who has served three terms as a state assembly member since 2021, was painted as "inexperienced" and "too radical" by rivals, but he appealed to working class New Yorkers who have seen the cost of living skyrocket and want the price of food and rent to be lowered.

Ryan Ballard, 29, from Brooklyn said he voted for Mamdani due to his progressive views.

"I'm aligned with his progressive values, mainly affordability in the city," Ballard told China Daily. "I'm excited about the rent freeze for certain residences where that's eligible."

The votes in the race are still subject to a rank choice vote, which is due to be counted on July 2. This system allows voters to opt for five of their preferred candidates on the ballot.

It is being used as Mamdani did not get 50 percent of first choice votes in the primary — which he must get to win — so the ranked choice vote will be counted. Mamdani already had a significant lead over Cuomo by a large margin after polls closed.

The candidate, a socialist with views to the left of most Democrats, declared victory after Cuomo conceded defeat in the race on Tuesday evening. His energetic, youthful campaign used social media posts that showed him running into icy waters in Coney Island earlier this year, and looking relaxed, smiling and talking to voters.

His campaign was run by an army of young people and he employed grassroots tactics to get his campaign message out.

In contrast, Cuomo, the 67-year-old stalwart of politics, was more plodding and lamented the bad state of the city, which he said only he could fix.

Cuomo had been on the comeback trail after resigning in disgrace as governor. He stepped down after a report by the state's attorney general found him guilty of sexually harassing at least 11 women. He said he had not meant to harass the women.

During a speech before a crowd of his supporters on Tuesday, Cuomo said that he had called Mamdani to congratulate him. "Tonight is his night. He deserved it. He won," Cuomo told supporters.

The winner of the primary is not well known to the public in New York or the wider United States. But during the race, he laid into all of Cuomo's most contentious failings, such as how he handled the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mamdani will be the city's first Muslim and Indian American mayor if elected in November.

He has vowed to make big changes in the city, such as lowering the cost of living as inflation stings; altering education; freezing the rent on rent-stabilized apartments; offering free child care and making city buses free. He plans to finance this by increasing taxes on the wealthiest residents in the city.

"Affordability across the board is an issue for almost everyone besides the ultrawealthy," Ballard, the voter, added. "So, that was mainly what drove me, but I also I like his stance on making New York City a safe haven for the LGBTQIA community. And yes, I do think that taxing the ultra-rich is an effective way to get these things done."

Mamdani received widespread support from big Democratic party names such as progressives, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders. Cortez met him in Queens on Tuesday to congratulate him, a video from social media shows.

Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Hakeem Jeffries also both congratulated him on his "decisive primary victory." Former president Bill Clinton said in a social media post that Mamdani had a "well-run campaign", adding he hoped that he could "bring New Yorkers together to tackle the city's challenges."

Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams did not take part in the primary. But the Democratic mayor will run for re-election as an independent in the general election later this year. Cuomo may also run as an independent, several reports suggest.

Adams has faced a tumultuous tenure as mayor, especially over the perception that crime has spiked. He was also indicted on corruption charges. The charges were dropped by the Justice Department. Republican Curtis Sliwa, the well-known founder of the Guardian Angels, who wears a red beret, will represent the right wing.

Mamdani beat 10 rivals. But some of the most visible left-leaning contenders in the primary failed to launch. They included: Comptroller Brad Lander, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, state Senator Zellnor Myrie, hedge fund executive Whitney Tilson and former city Comptroller Scott Stringer.

Early data from New York City's Board of Elections showed that Mamdani was ranked on more ballots than Cuomo, according to The Associated Press.

He was put as the second choice by tens of thousands of more voters than Cuomo. Yet, over 200,000 voters only listed a first choice, the Board of Elections results showed, so the rank choice votes will be crucial.

A hit with many, his campaign also did well in the wealthier enclaves of Park Slope, Cobble Hill and Clinton Hill in Brooklyn and the East Village in Midtown.

The Mamdani campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

belindarobinson@chinadailyusa.com