Zohran Mamdani Becomes New York City’s New Mayor in a Historic Win

Zohran Mamdani has officially won the 2025 New York City mayor race, as projected by NBC News. The 34-year-old democratic socialist got massive support from young voters and progressives all over the U.S. He also faced strong criticism from Donald Trump, Republicans, and some moderate Democrats.

Mamdani, the Democratic candidate, easily defeated former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo — who ran as an independent after losing the Democratic primary — and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Mayor Eric Adams had also tried to run again as an independent but dropped out in September and later backed Cuomo.

From Unknown Politician to NYC’s Top Leader

Just a year ago, Zohran Mamdani was barely known outside his neighborhood. Today, he’s the new mayor of America’s biggest city. His rise in politics has been fast and unexpected.

He managed to beat one of New York’s most powerful political families twice within five months. Mamdani’s big plans include freezing rent on rent-controlled apartments, starting universal child care, making city buses free, and opening grocery stores run by the city.

“No One Believed in Us at First,” Says Mamdani

At a rally in Queens last month, Mamdani told a cheering crowd how his campaign started small. “When we began, not a single TV camera came,” he said. “Four months later, we had 1% support — tied with someone called ‘someone else.’”

His message and humor helped him connect with young and everyday New Yorkers who wanted real change.

What Mamdani’s Win Means for NYC and the U.S.

Zohran Mamdani’s victory isn’t just a New York story — it’s a national one.

In New York, his next challenge is to work with city and state leaders who may not fully agree with his ideas. Across the country, Democrats are watching his campaign closely to see how his message about rent, jobs, and fairness attracted so many people.

Republicans, on the other hand, plan to use his left-leaning ideas to energize their own supporters in future elections.

Who Voted for Mamdani? The Data Shows It All

NBC News exit polls showed that people from all backgrounds voted for Mamdani — white, Black, Latino, Asian, and others.

Young voters were his biggest supporters. People under 45 picked him over Cuomo by a huge 43-point lead. Older voters, however, favored Cuomo by about 10 points.

Education and hometown background also mattered. Polls showed a clear split between lifelong New Yorkers and people who moved to the city in the last 10 years.

His Faith and Pro-Palestinian Views Became Key Topics

Mamdani’s open support for Palestine became a hot topic during the campaign. Exit polls showed that most Jewish voters preferred Cuomo over him, 60% to 31%.

As the race got closer, Cuomo called Mamdani “divisive,” while Mamdani called Cuomo “Trump’s puppet.” Then, Donald Trump suddenly endorsed Cuomo, saying that voting for Sliwa, the Republican, would help Mamdani win.

Interestingly, even most Republicans — about 61% — voted for Cuomo instead of Sliwa.

Zohran Mamdani Makes History as NYC’s First Muslim Mayor

Mamdani will now become the first Muslim mayor in New York City’s history.

Late last month, he gave an emotional speech saying he faced “racist and baseless” attacks for his faith. His pro-Palestinian stance motivated progressives who support peace in Gaza but worried some pro-Israel Democrats and donors.

At a rally with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders, Mamdani said his opponents — Cuomo, Adams, and Sliwa — were “stuck in the past.”

“They made this election about my faith,” he said. “But for millions of New Yorkers, it’s really about how hard it is to afford life in this city.”

Final Thoughts

Zohran Mamdani’s win marks a turning point for New York City. He represents a younger, more progressive generation that wants real change. Now, all eyes are on how he’ll turn his promises into action.

Source: NBC News – New York City Mayor Election 2025