Independent Report – Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old state lawmaker, is close to victory. He is a self-described democratic socialist. Mamdani is now leading in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary. He has surprisingly defeated former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Cuomo, 67, gave a short concession speech. He said he called Mamdani to congratulate him. “Tonight is his night,” Cuomo told his supporters. This marks the end of Cuomo’s comeback attempt. He resigned four years ago due to sexual harassment allegations.
Although the results are not final, Mamdani has a strong lead. With 95% of ballot scanners reporting, he has 43.5% of the vote. Cuomo trails behind with 36.4%. The other nine candidates are far behind.
Mamdani declared victory Tuesday night. In his speech, he thanked voters for believing in change. He said New York must be a city everyone can afford. The speech aired on ABC7 New York.
He promised to reject Donald Trump’s policies. Mamdani said he would lead the city as a progressive example. The final result will be confirmed next week. New York uses ranked-choice voting. Voters select up to five candidates by preference.
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Still, Mamdani’s lead seems hard to beat. Brad Lander, the third-place candidate, had 11.6% of votes. He asked his supporters to rank Mamdani second. That move may further boost Mamdani’s total.
The primary showed the party’s divided direction. Cuomo represented the centrist, establishment wing. Mamdani stood for progressive, grassroots politics. This difference shaped the race.
Mamdani could become New York’s first Muslim mayor. Mamdani was born in Uganda to a family of Indian descent. He has been active in pro-Palestinian causes. He serves in the State Assembly, representing Queens.
Mamdani had strong progressive support. U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders endorsed him. So did Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Cuomo, meanwhile, had backing from party veterans. Former President Bill Clinton and Michael Bloomberg supported him.
Cuomo said Mamdani lacked political experience. Mamdani, in turn, criticized Cuomo’s past behavior. The harassment allegations were a major issue. Cuomo denied them, calling them jokes or misunderstandings.
Some voters openly rejected Cuomo. Leah Johanson, 39, lives in Queens. She said she ranked Mamdani first. “I’m not voting for a man accused of abuse,” she told reporters.
Another voter, Ignacio Tambunting, is 28. He said he chose Mamdani because of his background. “It’s time for someone young and different,” he said.
The general election is set for November. Mamdani is likely to be the favorite. Democrats outnumber Republicans in the city. Current Mayor Eric Adams will run as an independent. But corruption scandals have weakened his reputation.
The Republican candidate is Curtis Sliwa. He is a radio host and anti-crime activist. He previously lost to Adams in 2021.
Mamdani and Lander helped each other in the ranked-choice system. Their alliance likely expanded Mamdani’s lead. Each round removes the lowest candidate. Votes then go to the next-ranked choice. This process repeats until someone passes 50%.
With strong early numbers and added support, Mamdani is close to winning. His campaign has energized progressives and young voters. He now looks ready to bring new leadership to New York City.
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