Zohran Mamdani, the Muslim socialist candidate toppled former Gov. Andrew Cuomo to become the mayor of New York.
By Catholics for Catholics
Claiming an expected win, Zohran Mamdani was elected as the first Muslim and the youngest in generations to be chosen as the mayor of the City of New York.
Mamdani, 34, bested Andrew Cuomo, the former Democrat who ran as an independent. According to Fox News, the self-described democratic socialist deposed the former Governor in a hot-blooded brawl for the future of Gotham — and possibly the direction of the Democratic Party.
The 34-year-old Ugandan-born state assemblyman from Queens started a political upheaval when he declared victory in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary in June, pulling an upset over a former governor who was widely expected to win the party’s nomination.
After the June victory Mamdani was propelled onto the national stage, teaming up with progressive power duo Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., to rally New York City voters for his affordability agenda, which includes ambitious campaign vows like rent freezes, fast and free buses, city-run grocery stores and free childcare.
Still, President Donald Trump paid close attention to the race for the mayor of his hometown. He called Mamdani a “100% Communist Lunatic” and “My little communist” — nicknames Mamdani has spurned.
The actual silver lining of the NYC mayor’s race is that Cuomo lost.
(I know we’ve all been calling him a “moderate” relative to the communist, but that psycho put on a light show at the Freedom Tower to celebrate murdering babies.)
— Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) November 5, 2025
Right before Election Day, Trump endorsed Cuomo and floated cutting federal funds to New York City if Mamdani won.
Mamdani countered that he would use the “bully pulpit” and the judicial system to fight back against Trump’s “threats.”
“Donald Trump may speak as if it is his decision, but this is money that this city is owed. This is money that we will expect to collect,” Mamdani said Monday.
Mamdani’s primary success was seen as a big win for progressives, according to political observers who admit that they were dealt a harsh blow during the past 2024 elections when Trump trounced them nationwide.
