Ugandan-Born Muslim Zohran Mamdani Pulls Off Shock Win In NYC Mayoral Primary
Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old Ugandan-born Muslim and self-described democratic socialist, has pulled off a stunning upset in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary, defeating former governor Andrew Cuomo in what is being hailed as a historic grassroots victory.
With an estimated 92% of the vote counted, Mamdani declared victory late on Tuesday night, telling jubilant supporters: “Tonight, we made history. In the words of Nelson Mandela, ‘It always seems impossible until it is done.’ My friends, we have done it. I will be your Democratic nominee for the mayor of New York City.”
The result caps a remarkable rise for Mamdani, a State Assemblyman from Queens who ran a self-funded campaign built on small donations, strong social media presence, and an ambitious left-wing platform that promised to radically overhaul city life for working-class residents. His signature pledges include a rent freeze on stabilised units, free public buses and childcare, city-owned grocery stores, and the construction of 200,000 affordable housing units.
Despite limited institutional support, Mamdani surged past more established and well-financed opponents by building an energetic base online and securing endorsements from progressive heavyweights such as Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. His cross-endorsement pact with fellow progressive Brad Lander helped consolidate the left’s support and prevent vote-splitting that might have handed Cuomo the win.
The race is expected to be formally decided through New York City’s ranked-choice voting system, but Mamdani’s commanding lead has already prompted Cuomo to concede privately. In a call to Mamdani on Tuesday night, the former governor reportedly congratulated his rival and told supporters his campaign would be “taking a look and making some decisions.”
Mamdani, who represents Astoria and Long Island City in the State Assembly, campaigned on what he called “the politics of the future,” emphasising sincerity, social justice, and bottom-up governance.
Born in Kampala, Uganda, Mamdani is the son of Indian-Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani and Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair. His middle name, Kwame, was chosen in honour of Kwame Nkrumah — Ghana’s first prime minister and a leading figure in African anti-colonial movements.
His victory is expected to send shockwaves through the Democratic establishment and set the stage for a mayoral race that will centre on inequality, housing, and the future of progressive politics in America’s largest city.
If elected in November, Mamdani would become not only New York City’s first Muslim mayor, but also one of the most left-wing leaders in the city’s modern history.
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