On October 23, 2024, a small Democratic-Socialist Assembly Member representing areas of Astoria in New York City named Zohran Mamdani announced his campaign for mayor of NYC, hoping to dethrone mayor Eric Adams. Just over a year later on November 4, 2025, he would become the NYC mayor-elect, winning just over 50% of the vote in a three party race. At age 34, he would be the second youngest mayor to be in charge of the five boroughs. His rise from State Assembly member to mayor of the biggest city in America in five years was unexpected by everyone, but just shows how uniting his campaign was for those in NYC.
Mamdani was born on October 18, 1991 in Uganda to Indian parents, a fact that some opponents often used to try and discredit him, but moved to New York City with his parents when he was seven years old, becoming an American citizen in 2018. He would then run for New York State’s 36th District in 2020, a district within Queens, winning in 2021, and running unopposed for the next two election cycles, which was two years for each cycle, until October 2024 where he announced his candidacy for mayor.
As a Democratic-Socialist, his campaign focused on affordability, supporting rent freezes in rent-stabilized apartments, affordable housing, free childcare, fast, free-fare buses, and LGBTQ+ rights. This campaign divided many not only in New York, but also nationwide since it was really the first time someone like Mamdani had tried to run for office. This was the main attacking point of his main Democratic opponent, former governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo. Ultimately, through a masterful social media campaign, as well as allying with fellow Democratic candidate Brad Lander, Mamdani won his primary with 56% of all total votes, becoming the Democratic nominee for Mayor.
He continued the momentum into the main race, taking on fellow candidates, Curtis Sliwa, who was a Republican, and now Independent candidate Andrew Cuomo, who decided to run again after losing in the primary. The November 4th, 2025 election date came and went and with the highest voter margins in over 50 years, Mamdani won with 51% of the vote, Cuomo came in second with 41% of the vote, and Sliwa came third with 7% of the vote.
Mamdani was officially inaugurated as NYC Mayor on January 1, 2025, becoming the 112th mayor. In his inauguration speech, he continued the promises of free child care, free buses, rent freeze and universal child care, standing with all residents of New York City, even those who didn’t vote for him, and he wanted the world to see how people like him could govern.
