Zohran Mamdani, known for his socialist and anti-Israeli positions, was elected Wednesday night to be the Democratic Party nominee for New York City mayor, according to the count of most votes. Mamdani, who expressed support for the BDS movement to boycott Israel, defeated former governor Andrew Cuomo.
In the words of Nelson Mandela: it always seems impossible until it's done.
My friends, it is done. And you are the ones who did it.
I am honored to be your Democratic nominee for the Mayor of New York City. pic.twitter.com/AgW0Z30xw1
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) June 25, 2025
Mamdani, 33, a Muslim New York State Assembly member, leads Cuomo 43.5% to 36.4% after counting nearly 95% of polling stations. Cuomo, who sought to return to the political arena four years after resigning as governor following sexual harassment allegations, delivered a concession speech and acknowledged Mamdani's victory – "Tonight is his night. He deserved it, he won."
Mamdani was born in Uganda to a family of Indian origin and moved to New York at age 7. He is the son of Mahmood Mamdani, an anthropology professor at Columbia University, and Mira Nair, a film director of Indian origin.
Mamdani previously founded a chapter of "Students for Justice in Palestine" at Bowdoin College, supported the boycott movement against Israel (BDS), called for cutting economic ties with Israel, and even declared that if elected mayor, he would refuse to visit Israel – contrary to the tradition of his predecessors in the position. His extreme positions toward Israel have accompanied him throughout his political career, as he refuses to recognize its right to exist as a Jewish state.
Recently, Mamdani sparked controversy when he refused to condemn the call to "globalize the intifada," a slogan associated with anti-Israeli demonstrations and calls for violence against Jews. In a podcast interview, he responded, "Ultimately, what I hear in these expressions is a desperate yearning for equality and human rights for Palestinians," and tried to justify using the term by claiming its meaning in Arabic is "struggle."
Zohran Mamdani breaks down in fake tears after the Holocaust Museum rightfully called him out on comparing "Globalize the intifada" to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.
He had a mask off moment and is upset that he was caught. pic.twitter.com/vZOxjKsXjW
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) June 18, 2025
His words prompted a harsh backlash from the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, which issued an unusual statement – "Exploiting the Museum and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising to sanitize "globalize the intifada" is outrageous and especially offensive to survivors. Since 1987 Jews have been attacked and murdered under its banner. All leaders must condemn its use and the abuse of history." In response to the uproar, Mamdani held a dramatic press conference where he claimed, "It pains me that they call me antisemitic. I love the Jewish community in New York." Recently, it was revealed that in a rap song he published in the past, he expressed support for five convicts who transferred money to Hamas and sent them his "love."
WHAT EVERY NYC VOTER SHOULD KNOW:
US @HolocaustMuseum condemns Zohran Mamdani as "outrageous" for defending "Globalize the Intifada" and for calling it as righteous as the Warsaw Uprising. Zohran is revealing his Antisemitism in full force — leave the hatemonger off your ballot. pic.twitter.com/M00xGWTvbq— Steven Goldstein (@StvenGoldstein) June 19, 2025
But the core of his campaign focused on his socialist positions – freezing rent on rent-controlled apartments, free public transportation, city-subsidized grocery stores, free early childhood education, and raising the minimum wage to $30 per hour. Mamdani said he would fund this by raising taxes on the wealthy.
In the past, Mamdani supported the movement to defund the police, but in the current campaign, he said he would not cut the budget of law enforcement forces, despite describing the New York Police Department as "racist, anti-LGBTQ community and a major threat to public safety."
The race was seen as an indicator of the direction the Democratic Party should take after the defeat in the presidential and congressional elections. The differences between them were clear – Cuomo, a moderate candidate supported by the party establishment who served about a decade as governor, versus Mamdani, a progressive and radical candidate.
Mamdani is expected to be the favorite in the November mayoral election in the majority-Democratic city. He will face the current mayor, Eric Adams, known for his pro-Israeli positions. Adams, also a Democrat, will run as an independent candidate after corruption scandals and his ties with President Donald Trump made him an outcast in the party.
Mamdani won the support of Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, two prominent figures in the party's progressive wing. In contrast, Cuomo garnered support from former President Bill Clinton and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
