New Yorkers just made history — electing Zohran Mamdani as the city’s first socialist mayor, a far-left Democrat who wasted no time claiming a mandate for his sweeping progressive agenda and taking direct aim at President Trump.
Source: FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul
It took just 40 minutes after polls closed for The Associated Press and NY1 to call the race for 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani — and the moment his victory flashed on screen, his Brooklyn watch party erupted in cheers.
"New York, tonight you have delivered a mandate for change, a mandate for a new kind of politics, a mandate for a city that we can afford and a mandate for a government that delivers exactly that," he told the roaring crowd after taking the stage past 11 p.m.
Moments later, he turned his fire on Trump — sending the fired-up crowd into a frenzy of cheers.
Zohran Mamdani celebrates his historic win during an election night rally at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater on November 4, 2025. AP
“So Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up,” Mamdani said.
Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, led with 50.4% of the vote over independent candidate Andrew Cuomo’s 42% as of midnight, with nearly all precincts reporting, according to the city’s Board of Elections. GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa trailed far behind with just 7.1%.
Uganda-born Zohran Mamdani is breaking barriers — becoming New York’s first Muslim, first South Asian, and first socialist mayor, and one of the youngest to take the helm.
"My friends, we have toppled a political dynasty," Mamdani told the roaring crowd in a fiery 20-minute speech.
“I wish Andrew Cuomo only the best in his private life but that [will be] the final time I utter his name.”
As of Saturday, Mamdani held just a six-point edge over Cuomo, according to an AtlasIntel poll — a reminder of how tight the race had become. Luiz C. Ribeiro
From a dark-horse candidate championing affordability to an ascendant mayor-elect, the state assemblyman defied doubts about his youth, inexperience, and his “Tax the Rich” platform — despite warnings from the city’s business elite.
A proud member of the Democratic Socialists of America, Mamdani also confronted repeated scrutiny over his past anti-police positions and accusations of antisemitism tied to his fierce, long-standing criticism of Israel.
His surprising victory capped a fiery campaign that highlighted Democratic Party splits and grabbed national headlines — even drawing Trump, who endorsed Cuomo on election eve and threatened to block federal funds if Mamdani took office.
“…AND SO IT BEGINS!” Trump posted on Truth Social as Mamdani addressed supporters during his victory speech, immediately drawing attention.
A record-breaking 2 million New Yorkers turned out to vote, the largest turnout since 1969, highlighting the high stakes of this historic election.
With early results showing him poised to win at least 50% of the vote, Mamdani looked set to claim a mandate from the majority of New Yorkers.
The former three-term Democratic governor, Cuomo — who poured $12 million into his campaign and was backed by $55 million from super PACs — emphasized that New Yorkers who didn’t vote for Mamdani shouldn’t be forgotten.
“This campaign was the right fight to wage,” he said in his concession speech. “It’s also important to note that almost half of New Yorkers did vote to support a government agenda that makes promises that we know cannot be met.”
Cuomo’s loss crushed his hopes for a political comeback after resigning as governor in 2021 amid a sexual harassment scandal. At his Manhattan watch party in the Ziegfeld Ballroom, supporters began trickling out before he even took the stage, while the remaining crowd chanted “Shame on Sliwa” — a pointed dig at the Guardian Angels founder for his alleged spoiler impact.
With tears in his eyes, Sliwa conceded the race around 9:20 p.m., after falling short of 10% support, and warned supporters about the threat of socialism.
“Let me warn the new leader, if you try to implement socialism, if you try to render our police weak and impotent, if you forsake the people’s public safety, we’re not only organizing, but we are mobilizing,” he said.
Mamdani, a committed member of the Democratic Socialists of America, also faced repeated scrutiny over his past anti-police positions and accusations of antisemitism stemming from his long-standing, outspoken criticism of Israel. REUTERS
For some Jewish activists, the victory brought unease, as they feared a fierce critic of Israel taking the helm as mayor.
“New Yorkers have spoken … We recognize that voters are animated by a range of issues, but we cannot ignore that the Mayor-elect holds core beliefs fundamentally at odds with our community’s deepest convictions and most cherished values,” the prominent UJA Federation said in a statement.
It was an unusual showdown — the city’s first three-way contest among serious contenders since 1969, when Republican John Lindsay claimed victory.
The race started with five contenders, including Cuomo running independently, scandal-hit Mayor Eric Adams, and longshot Jim Walden. The field quickly narrowed after Walden dropped out, and after weeks of tense back-and-forth — with the White House trying to convince him to step aside — Adams finally ended his re-election bid.
The New York Post’s eye-catching front cover from the November 5, 2025, print edition.
Tensions flared in the three-way battle between Mamdani, Cuomo, and Sliwa as they sparred over the future of New York City.
Cuomo relentlessly warned the public about Mamdani’s lack of executive experience and thin résumé, while also trying to poke holes in the left-leaning candidate’s $10 billion “pie-in-the-sky” proposals.
Mamdani stuck to his affordability message in two hard-fought debates against Cuomo and Sliwa, sidestepping detailed answers, while weathering a storm of criticism over his anti-Israel, pro-socialism, and anti-police positions.
Tensions flared in the three-way battle between Mamdani, Cuomo, and Sliwa as they sparred over New York City’s future. Michael Nigro
The distant Cuomo — who leaned heavily into his 1980s moniker “The Prince of Darkness” with nonstop attacks — failed to inspire voters, who handed him a clear rebuke at the ballot box.
As the race reached its final days, Cuomo earned Adams’s endorsement and begrudging support from Republicans like U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) of the Hudson Valley, who called him the “lesser of two evils.”
Mamdani wrapped up the campaign’s final stretch at a full sprint, hitting the streets across the city just as he had throughout his entire race.
After winning the 2025 New York City mayoral race, Zohran Mamdani takes the stage at an election night rally in Brooklyn, November 4, 2025. REUTERS
Cuomo entered the packed Democratic primary in March, only to have his front-runner edge chipped away by Mamdani, who had started his campaign in October 2024 as an almost unknown contender.
Since his election to the state Legislature in 2020, Mamdani has built an enthusiastic following, fueled by his relatable social media videos and straightforward campaign promises: free buses, universal child care, a rent freeze, and city-run grocery stores.
His historic June primary win shook the party to its core, a “political earthquake” that signaled the rising force of progressives and young voters — with aftershocks rippling across the country.
The Democratic Socialists of America in New York City, backing Mamdani, celebrated the left’s political breakthrough with a bold Instagram post: “SOCIALISM WINS.”
“The job’s not done, and we’re not going to rest on our laurels,” the post read. “We’re going to mobilize our historic volunteer army to win Zohran’s agenda here in the city and elect working class champions at every level of government.”
President Trump talks to members of the press aboard Air Force One en route to Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, November 2, 2025. REUTERS
Zohran Mamdani, in a black cap and white shirt, takes part in the NYC Gaza 5K at Prospect Park, running alongside the Harlem Run Club. X/@ZohranKMamdani
Guests at Zohran Mamdani’s Brooklyn election night party on November 4, 2025, react as other local races are called on the news. SARAH YENESEL/EPA/Shutterstock
The Rev. Al Sharpton likened Mamdani’s political rise to the breakthrough of former President Barack Obama.
The thought of an unapologetic socialist at the helm of the nation’s largest city — vowing to “tax the rich” to fund a $10 billion agenda — sent corporate bigwigs into a frenzy even before Mamdani’s win.
Rebecca Kadaga and Zohran Mamdani smile for a photo together. X/@RebeccaKadagaUG
At Grand Central Station, Zohran Mamdani and other protesters sport “Cease Fire Now” shirts. Instagram/@zohrankmamdani
Republicans like Trump — who dismissed Mamdani as “my little Communist” — oscillated between gloating over the socialist’s victory as a cudgel against Democrats and plotting to undermine it.
Mamdani had a hard time gaining the backing of establishment Democrats in New York and beyond, many of whom were hesitant to crown a far-left politician as the party’s future.
Late in the race, he picked up endorsements from Gov. Kathy Hochul and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), while Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Obama stayed on the sidelines until the very end.
Zohran Mamdani joins a demonstration opposing the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Instagram/@zohrankmamdani
At 12:01 a.m. on January 1, 2026, Mamdani will be officially sworn in as New York City’s mayor. AFP via Getty Images
Mamdani’s bold agenda hangs in the balance in Albany, where Hochul and lawmakers have the final word.
While Hochul has flatly rejected any tax hikes, Mamdani allies point to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx) and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Westchester) as ready partners to help advance his bold socialist agenda.
At 12:01 a.m. on January 1, Mamdani will take the oath as mayor, becoming the first immigrant to lead New York City since Abe Beame’s election in 1974.
He will also claim the title of New York City’s second-youngest mayor, narrowly besting “Boy Mayor” John Purroy Mitchel, who was just three months older when he was sworn in at age 34 back in 1914.
The absolute youngest “hizzoner” was Hugh J. Grant, who assumed office at 31 on January 1, 1889.
