Zohran Mamdani wins NYC mayoral election after energizing young voters with focus on affordability

Zohran Mamdani might be New York Metropolis’s 111th mayor, CBS Information tasks, capping a intently watched marketing campaign through which the little-known state assemblyman energized voters together with his deal with making America’s largest metropolis extra inexpensive.

The 34-year-old democratic socialist defeated Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an impartial after dropping a Democratic major that he had initially entered because the clear front-runner. The mayoral race drew the eye of President Trump, who endorsed Cuomo the night time earlier than the election and threatened to withhold federal funds to New York Metropolis beneath a Mayor Mamdani.

Mamdani’s message centered round the price of dwelling, energizing a coalition of younger and progressive voters, whilst critics questioned his lack of expertise and raised issues about his stance on Israel. He pledged to freeze rents on rent-stabilized residences and lift taxes on the rich to pay for a number of recent providers, like free buses and city-run grocery shops.

When he assumes workplace, Mamdani will make historical past as town’s first Muslim mayor. At 34, he’ll even be one of many metropolis’s youngest mayors, however not the youngest ever: That distinction belongs to Hugh J. Grant, who was 31 when he was elected to his first time period in 1889.

Click on right here for full New York Metropolis election outcomes. 

Mamdani guarantees “relentless enchancment”

Mamdani promised to convey New York Metropolis into an age of “relentless enchancment” as he claimed victory within the mayoral race late Tuesday night time.

He stated his win was one for the working individuals of New York and reiterated his marketing campaign guarantees on affordability.

“Let the phrases we have spoken collectively, the desires we have dreamt collectively turn out to be the agenda we ship collectively,” Mamdani stated. “New York, this energy, it is yours. This metropolis belongs to you. Thanks.”

Mamdani’s background

Mamdani was born in Uganda and moved to New York Metropolis when he was 7. He attended the elite Bronx Excessive Faculty of Science earlier than heading off to Bowdoin School. 

In 2018, he grew to become an American citizen. 

His mother and father are political science professor Mahmood Mamdani and filmmaker Mira Nair. Mamdani is married to artist Rama Duawaji. They dwell in Queens, the place Mamdani has served as state assemblyman since 2021, representing Astoria, Astoria Heights and Ditmars-Steinway in Queens. 

Mamdani’s insurance policies

Mamdani centered his marketing campaign round decreasing the price of dwelling. He promised to freeze the hire for town’s rent-stabilized models. He has additionally pledged to supply free bus service and to open city-owned grocery shops in every borough. Mamdani additionally says he needs to construct 200,000 inexpensive housing models. 

To pay for his proposals, Mamdani has stated he would increase taxes on companies and on prime earners by 2%, however he’ll want the assistance of Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state legislature to do it. 

His candidacy was enthusiastically embraced by outstanding fellow progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. He finally obtained the endorsement of some prime Democrats together with Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries and Hochul. 

Mamdani’s place on Israel drew scrutiny over the course of the marketing campaign. He condemned the Hamas-led Oct. 7 terrorist assaults on Israel, but in addition criticized the Israeli authorities’s response, calling the warfare in Gaza a genocide. Israel stated his feedback have been “shameful.”

Mamdani says, whereas he helps Israel’s proper to exist, he won’t say it ought to exist as a Jewish state. 

“I’d not acknowledge any state’s proper to exist with a system of hierarchy on the idea of race or faith,” he stated within the candidates’ second and remaining debate.

He additionally stated critics have wrongly accused him of extra excessive statements.

“I’ve by no means, not as soon as, spoken in help of worldwide jihad. That’s not one thing that I’ve stated. And that continues to be ascribed to me. And albeit, I believe a lot of it has to do with that I’m the primary Muslim candidate to be on the precipice of successful this election,” Mamdani stated over the last debate. 

Mamdani and the NYPD

Mamdani got here beneath withering criticism for his previous remarks relating to the NYPD. He beforehand known as for disbanding the Strategic Response Group, which was the identical unit that responded to the Midtown workplace capturing in July. He has since walked that again, saying he was against utilizing that unit to reply to protests.

“I’m not defunding the police,” Mamdani stated this summer time. “I’m not operating to defund the police.” 

In an October interview with Fox Information, Mamdani once more apologized for remarks he made concerning the NYPD in 2020, when he known as the division “racist” and a “risk to public security” amid nationwide protests after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. 

“We used to ask officers to deal with severe crimes. Now we’re asking them to focus additionally on the psychological well being disaster, to focus additionally on homelessness,” Mamdani stated final month. “Completely I will apologize to cops proper right here. As a result of that is the apology that I have been sharing with many rank and file officers. And I apologize due to the truth that I am seeking to work with these officers, and I do know that these officers, these women and men who serve within the NYPD, they put their lives on the road each single day.”   

Mamdani additionally not too long ago stated he would ask Jessica Tisch to remain on as police commissioner.