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Source: Michael M. Santiago / GettyOn Tuesday (June 24), New York Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani pulled off a startling upset by seizing a commanding lead over former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to gain the nomination to be the Democratic Party candidate for mayor of New York City. Mamdani holds a lead over Cuomo at 44% to 36% of the vote, guaranteeing his victory by the end of the ranked choice process on July 1. Cuomo conceded later on during the evening during his rally, saying that he called Mamdani to congratulate him.
“Today, eight months after launching this campaign with the vision of a city that every New Yorker could afford, we have won,” the 33-year-old assemblyman from Queens said at his victory party on a brewery rooftop in Long Island City, Queens shortly after midnight on Wednesday (June 25). “I will be the mayor for every New Yorker, whether you voted for me, for Gov. Cuomo or felt too disillusioned by a long, broken political system to vote at all. I will fight for a city that works for you, that is affordable for you, that is safe for you.”
The Democratic Socialist politican’s victory was buoyed by several factors expanding the electorate, one of which is his attention to issues such as reparations for the Black community. He sent a statement affirming his commitment to the New Yorkers For Reparations’ Mayoral Forum on May 15. “As Mayor, I will ensure that my administration meaningfully advances equality for Black New Yorkers, in our steadfast commitment to freedom and dignity for all people. New York City participated actively in the slave trade and furthered its legacy through racist institutions, policies and laws; the City should reconcile and repair this legacy of slavery, stolen wealth, and discrimination,” Mamdani wrote.
Another factor was Mamdani’s appeal to voters on affordability through proposed ideas such as fare-free buses, building more permanently affordable housing and rent freezes in addition to raising the tax rate on corporations to match New Jersey’s rate of 11.5% to provide funding for the initatives. His win is seen as a major shake-up to the Democratic Party establishment, who backed Cuomo over the past weeks.
Cuomo, who was backed by multiple political action committees, and received millions in funding has signalled that he intends to file as an independent candidate to run in the November election for mayor. NYC’s current Mayor, Eric Adams, has already registered to run on the independent ballot. He went on Fox & Friends on Wednesday morning to attack Mamdani, calling him a “snake oil salesman”.
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