33-year-old state legislator Zohran Mamdani is on track to win New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, leading former Governor Andrew Cuomo in a race that could reshape the city’s political direction.
With nearly 95% of ballot scanners reporting, Mamdani held 43.5% of the vote, compared to Cuomo’s 36.4%, according to the city’s election board. Though final results won’t be certified until ranked-choice tabulations are completed next week, Mamdani’s lead appears insurmountable. The third-place candidate, City Comptroller Brad Lander, had urged his supporters to back Mamdani as their second choice.
In brief remarks conceding the race, Cuomo congratulated his opponent: “Tonight is his night,” he said. The 67-year-old had been attempting a political comeback four years after resigning in the wake of sexual harassment allegations—accusations he continues to deny.
Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist born in Uganda to a family of Indian heritage, is a sitting member of the New York State Assembly representing Queens. If elected in November, he would become the city’s first Muslim mayor. Known for his vocal support for Palestinian rights, Mamdani has drawn endorsements from progressive heavyweights, including Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The race, seen as a litmus test for the Democratic Party’s future, offered voters a stark choice: Cuomo, a centrist with a decade-long gubernatorial record and institutional backing, or Mamdani, a progressive insurgent who campaigned on a platform of reform and generational change.
“I think it’s time for somebody young, a person of colour, something different,” said 28-year-old voter Ignacio Tambunting after casting his ballot in Manhattan.
Others were more blunt. Leah Johanson, 39, who voted in Mamdani’s home borough of Queens, said she ranked him first but excluded Cuomo entirely. “No. God, no,” she said. “I’m not gonna vote for a man who is credibly accused of molesting women.”
Cuomo has dismissed the allegations as misinterpreted attempts at humour or familiarity, but they remain a shadow over his political legacy.
Mamdani is now expected to be the frontrunner in the November general election in a city where Democrats hold a commanding majority. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, weakened by corruption scandals and perceived ties to President Trump, is running as an independent. The Republican nominee is Curtis Sliwa, a radio personality who lost to Adams in 2021.
