Democrat Zohran Mamdani wins New York City mayor’s race

Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City on Tuesday, capping a stunning ascent for the 34-year-old state lawmaker, who was set to become the city’s most liberal mayor in generations.

In a victory for the Democratic Party’s progressive wing, Mr Mamdani defeated former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.

Mr Mamdani must now navigate the unending demands of America’s biggest city and deliver on ambitious, sceptics say unrealistic, campaign promises.

With the victory, the democratic socialist will etch his place in history as the city’s first Muslim mayor, the first of South Asian heritage and the first born in Africa.

“The conventional wisdom would tell you that I am far from the perfect candidate. I am young, despite my best efforts to grow older. I am Muslim. I am a democratic socialist. And most damning of all, I refuse to apologise for any of this,” Mr Mamdani declared to a roaring crowd at his victory party.

He cast his win as a victory for blue-collar workers struggling to get by.

“New York, tonight you have delivered a mandate for change,” he said, vowing to ”wake up each morning with a singular purpose: To make this city better for you than it was the day before.”

He will also become the city’s youngest mayor in more than a century when he takes office on January 1.

In his speech, Mr Mamdani addressed Mr Trump head-on.

“New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants and as of tonight, led by an immigrant,” he said, adding: “If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him.”

Mr Trump appeared to acknowledge Mr Mamdani’s challenges, posting ”…AND SO IT BEGINS!” on his Truth Social site.

New York governor Kathy Hochul said on X that she looked forward to working with Mr Mamdani “to make our city more affordable and liveable” and congratulated him on winning “one of the city’s highest-turnout elections on record”.

Mr Mamdani’s unlikely rise gives credence to Democrats who have urged the party to embrace more progressive, left-wing candidates instead of rallying behind centrists in hopes of winning back swing voters who have abandoned the party.

He has already faced scrutiny from national Republicans, including President Donald Trump, who have eagerly cast him as a threat and the face of what they say is a more radical Democratic Party.

The contest drove the biggest turnout in a mayoral race in more than 50 years, with more than two million New Yorkers casting ballots, according to the city’s Board of Elections.

At his victory party in Brooklyn, Mr Mamdani’s supporters cheered and embraced, some tearfully, after The Associated Press called the race.

Campaign posters flew through the air, as one person hoisted the official flag of New York City and Bad Bunny played from the speakers.

Mr Mamdani’s X account posted a video of a subway train pulling up to City Hall station, with an announcement that said, “The next and last stop is City Hall.”

His grassroots campaign centred on affordability, and his charisma spoiled Mr Cuomo’s attempted political comeback.

The former governor, who resigned four years ago following allegations of sexual harassment that he continues to deny, was dogged by his past throughout the race and was criticised for running a negative campaign.

In a concession speech, a defiant Mr Cuomo called his campaign “a caution flag that we are headed down a dangerous, dangerous road” and noted that “almost half of New Yorkers did not vote to support a government agenda that makes promises that we know cannot be met.”

Still, he corrected his supporters when they began to boo at the mention of Mr Mamdani’s name.

“No, that is not right,” he said, offering to help the incoming mayor in any way. “Tonight was their night.”

Democratic representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of Mr Mamdani’s most prominent backers, said New Yorkers would fight back.

“We’re going to stand up to bullies and thugs in the White House,” she told reporters.

There is also the question of how Mr Mamdani will deal with Mr Trump, who threatened to take over the city and to arrest and deport him if he won.

Mr Mamdani was born in Uganda, where he spent his early childhood, but was raised in New York City and became a US citizen in 2018.