New York City – Zohran Mamdani has won the race to lead the largest city in the United States, the Associated Press predicted late Tuesday, shortly after polls closed in a heated contest that has captured the world’s attention.
For a city of more than 8.4 million people, Sunday’s victory marks a landmark in history for an economic and cultural powerhouse of international importance.
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Mamdani is the first Muslim, the first person of South Asian descent, and the first African-born person to lead the city.
The 34-year-old state assemblyman was set to address a rousing watch party at Brooklyn’s Paramount Theater later Tuesday, a day after the historic vote.
But on Monday, he thanked supporters who had “brought us to this point of making history in this city”.
Voters in various metros have welcomed the progress of Mamdani’s historic victory, but most of them Passionate support is evident: It is not about his religion or caste identity; It’s about its laser-focused message of affordability.
But the race also takes on a dimension as a bellwether for the future of Democratic politics, represented by former governor Andrew Cuomo.To many, rich A donor-dominated establishment past, And Mamdani, an avowedly democratic socialist, represents a possible path forward for the party.
Cuomo didn’t mince words when he cast the vote on Tuesday, calling it a “civil war in the Democratic Party that’s been going on for some time.”
“You have the very radical left who run challenging socialists, quote unquote, moderate Democrats,” said Cuomo, who was elected as an independent after losing the Democratic primary in June to Mamdani.
“And that’s the competition you’re seeing here.”
‘It’s new and it’s fresh’
Joshua Wilson, a social worker who voted for Mamdani in the Bronx’s Mott Haven neighborhood, said Cuomo was right on the mark.
“In Donald Trump’s second term, all eyes are on New York and all eyes are on the United States. Everything is politicized and it’s much more vitriolic,” Wilson said.
“It’s also a big blow against young voices. People are really scared and want to be conservative. They want to keep things the way they are,” the 33-year-old said.
Neighbor Lucy Cordero, 68, echoed the sentiment.
“We’ve seen Cuomo, we know who he is, and he wasn’t a great person,” she said. “I chose Mamdani because he is new and he is fresh. Maybe he can change and fix what has gone wrong”.
Megan Marks, 52, a freelancer in the Crown Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn, said Mamdani leans more left than she does.
Still, she saw her bold platform as a counterpoint to federal politics dominated by Republicans and US President Donald Trump.
“I feel like we have nothing to lose. He’s idealistic and a little young,” Marks said.
“We can balance what is happening in the country with someone from a very different point of view, so I have decided to go after him (Mamdani),” she said.
Trump endorsed Cuomo in the final hours of the race, a move meant to galvanize conservative voters, who It may have backfired.
Even former Cuomo supporters weren’t immune to the buzz surrounding Mamdani’s campaign.
“In the primary, I didn’t vote for (Mamdani), but after some thought I changed my vote,” Crown Heights lawyer Alex Lawrence, 55, told Al Jazeera.
“I’m not as progressive as (Mamdani), but he’s got a positive message, he’s got integrity and I think he’ll do well. I want to give the guy a chance.”
Iftikhar Khan, 60, a driver originally from Bangladesh, pointed to the huge coalition of Muslim and South Asian voters that Mamdani has assembled in the race.
Many see his victory as a symbol of a new political renaissance for the city’s Muslims, who have faced discrimination in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Fanatic of Mamdani Support for Palestinian rights — the departure from both mainstream Democrats and a former New York City mayor — has also drawn support.
“My family convinced me. They really love Mamdani,” Khan, a registered Republican and Trump supporter who voted for Mamdani on Tuesday, told Al Jazeera.
“My family really wanted Mamdani, so I said ‘OK’,” he said.
‘We will hold him accountable’
Many questions remain about how Mamdani will enact his law Ambitious vision.
On his affordability mission, he has promised free buses, universal child care and a rent freeze on stable units.
He plans to pay for some of these programs through increased taxes on corporations and wealthy residents. That requires building a coalition of support not just in New York City, but in the state legislature.
When they take office, they will also face a balancing act as they support the middle class while on the court not alien His progressive base, along with the Democratic Socialists of America, has helped grow a volunteer army of over 100,000.
Nationally, some top Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, have continued to support Mamdani, even as he faces threats from Trump over federal funding and the deployment of the National Guard.
In the Bronx, 33-year-old Andre Augustin had no illusions about the challenges facing Mamdani.
“I wouldn’t say it’s going to be easy, but I think it’s very important to have a vision,” he said.
“I think it’s going to be tough, but I also think we’re going to put a lot of pressure on him. We’re going to hold him accountable,” he said.
“But I feel cautiously optimistic.”