Zohran Mamdani Wins the New York Mayoral Race

Mamdani will be the youngest New York mayor in a century, NBC News projects, after a rapid rise past Andrew Cuomo and other opponents.

Zohran Mamdani has won New York City’s mayoral race, becoming the youngest person to hold the office in a century. The 34-year-old democratic socialist’s victory marks a stunning ascent through New York politics, fueled by an energized progressive base and a message that resonated far beyond the five boroughs.

Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who re-entered the race as a third-party candidate after losing the Democratic primary, as well as Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa. Mayor Eric Adams, who had sought re-election under a third-party banner after his 2021 win as a Democrat, exited the race in September and later endorsed Cuomo.

The outcome caps an extraordinary political journey for Mamdani. In just over a year, he rose from relative obscurity as a state assemblyman polling near zero to the leader of America’s largest city. In doing so, he toppled one of New York’s most powerful political figures — twice — within the span of five months.

Now a nationally recognized figure, Mamdani faces the challenge of turning his bold campaign promises into reality. His platform includes freezing rent on rent-stabilized apartments, establishing universal child care, launching a free bus program, and opening city-run grocery stores — proposals that galvanized supporters while sparking fierce criticism from conservatives and moderate Democrats alike.

“It’s tempting to think this moment was always meant to happen,” Mamdani told thousands of supporters at a rally in Queens last month. “But when we began this journey, not a single camera showed up. Four months later, we had barely cracked 1% in the polls — tied with ‘someone else.’”

Mamdani’s victory is likely to have national implications. In New York, he must now navigate a complex political landscape, working with state leaders in Albany and a City Council that has been cautious toward his agenda. On the national stage, Democrats are expected to study his campaign’s grassroots energy, social media strategy, and focus on affordability for insights into reaching younger and more diverse voters.

For Republicans, Mamdani’s left-wing platform offers a new target — one they will likely use to rally their base in competitive races beyond New York City.

Early data indicates that Mamdani’s appeal cut across racial lines, with voters from white, Black, Latino, Asian, and other communities backing his candidacy. Younger voters overwhelmingly supported him, particularly those under 45, who favored Mamdani over Cuomo by a wide margin. Older voters leaned toward Cuomo, but not by enough to overcome Mamdani’s surge among the city’s youth-driven electorate.

With his historic win, Mamdani now steps into one of the most demanding political roles in the country — a position that will test whether the energy of a movement can transform into lasting governance.