Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old Queens assemblyman and self-described democratic socialist, has dealt a dramatic blow to the Democratic establishment, defeating former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in the city's mayoral primary. With most votes counted, Mamdani secured more than 43% of the vote compared to Cuomo’s 36%, in one of the biggest political upsets in decades, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The result stunned political insiders and marked the rapid rise of a progressive candidate who just months ago polled at 1% against Cuomo’s commanding 33%. The official outcome will be confirmed once ranked-choice ballots are fully counted, but Cuomo conceded within hours of the early results.
A surge built on the ground
Mamdani’s unexpected win was driven by a hyper-organized grassroots campaign. His team mobilized 50,000 volunteers who knocked on 1.6 million doors across the city. That in-person push, combined with viral social media videos, endorsements from high-profile figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders, and appearances on mainstream platforms like The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, helped the candidate dominate public attention in the final weeks.
Senior adviser Zara Rahim said the campaign had momentum but even Mamdani’s team was surprised by how quickly the tide turned on election night. “We felt good going in. We didn’t expect it to be that early,” she said.
A message voters understood
Mamdani’s campaign focused on issues of affordability in a city facing an affordability crisis. He promised free public buses, a $70 billion investment in subsidized housing, and a rent freeze on rent-stabilized apartments. His message resonated strongly with renters, younger voters, and those with college degrees, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of early returns.
“He talked about affordability in a way people could understand,” said strategist Camille Rivera. Mamdani’s popularity soared especially among progressive neighbourhoods, while homeowners leaned toward Cuomo.
Cuomo’s challenge fizzled
Cuomo, once considered a frontrunner due to his legacy, name recognition, and deep-pocketed support from billionaires and unions, struggled to regain public trust following his 2021 resignation over sexual misconduct allegations. He campaigned on increasing subway safety and boosting police presence, but failed to win over the progressive base or counter the “Don’t Rank Cuomo” movement.
Ranked-choice voting played a crucial role. Progressive groups like the Working Families Party encouraged strategic ranking of Mamdani and three other left-leaning candidates. Many voters ranked all four while leaving Cuomo off entirely—a tactic that ultimately doomed his comeback.
What comes next
Mamdani is expected to officially clinch the Democratic nomination once mail-in ballots are tallied. In November, he’ll face Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, independent Jim Walden, and possibly current Mayor Eric Adams, who skipped the Democratic primary to run on third-party lines.
Cuomo has the option to continue in the race under his “Fight and Deliver” party line, but political observers doubt he’ll take that path after such a decisive loss.
“It wasn’t a small beating,” said longtime political consultant Hank Sheinkopf. “He got killed.”
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