Anti-'Israel' Zohran Mamdani defeats Cuomo in NYC mayoral primary
4 Min Read
Zohran Mamdani’s grassroots campaign, backed by youth voters and progressive icons, toppled political heavyweight Andrew Cuomo in a stunning NYC primary upset.
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Zohran Mamdani delivering his victory speech after winning the NYC Democratic mayoral primary (@zohranmamdani / X)
In a stunning political upset, State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani secured victory over former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, shaking up the political establishment and redefining the city’s progressive trajectory ahead of November’s general election.
Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist known for his vocal stance against the Israeli occupation and a bold economic justice agenda, garnered 44% of the vote to Cuomo’s 36%, according to the Associated Press.
Stephen Colbert, Bill Ackman, AIPAC, Jonathan Chait the NYT ed board and the entire racist, colonial, military industrial complex could NOT defeat the candidate who has spoken out repeatedly and vociferously out for Palestinian lives: Zohran KWAME Mamdani! pic.twitter.com/1WGN9ey5OG
— Dr. Thrasher (@thrasherxy) June 25, 2025
The 11-candidate ranked-choice race was widely viewed as a test of whether New York’s progressive base could overcome entrenched power, and it did.
In the words of Nelson Mandela: it always seems impossible until it’s done.
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) June 25, 2025
My friends, it is done. And you are the ones who did it.
I am honored to be your Democratic nominee for the Mayor of New York City. pic.twitter.com/AgW0Z30xw1
His campaign, anchored in rent freezes, fare-free public transit, and city-run grocery stores funded by $10 billion in taxes on corporations and the ultra-wealthy, resonated deeply with young and working-class voters across the five boroughs. Cuomo, once seen as a political heavyweight and the early frontrunner, conceded defeat Tuesday night.
Cuomo concedes, Mamdani promises a city that works for all
At a watch party, Cuomo acknowledged Mamdani’s victory with humility, “Tonight is his night. He deserved it. He won.” The former governor, who re-entered the political fray after a scandal, was ultimately unable to withstand Mamdani’s momentum.
Celebrating with supporters in Queens, Mamdani emphasized his vision of shared prosperity, “We have won because New Yorkers have stood up for a city they can afford. A city where they can do more than just struggle... where hard work is repaid with a stable life.”
Mamdani’s rise was powered by progressive heavyweights. Endorsements from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) helped amplify his campaign’s reach and legitimacy. “Billionaires and lobbyists poured millions against you and our public finance system. And you won,” Ocasio-Cortez posted on X.
Congratulations, @ZohranKMamdani!
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 25, 2025
Your dedication to an affordable, welcoming, and safe New York City where working families can have a shot has inspired people across the city.
Billionaires and lobbyists poured millions against you and our public finance system.
And you won. https://t.co/YbJFsYjemm
City Comptroller Brad Lander, who placed third with 11%, also rallied behind Mamdani mid-race, saying, “This was such a campaign between a hopeful vision of the future and a sort of dark, sour politics of the past. And people said, we want that vision of the future.”
Momentum and message
Just a month ago, Mamdani was trailing Cuomo by 12 points in Emerson polling. But a tireless volunteer network, youth-led canvassing, and clear policy messaging helped him surge past the former governor. The campaign’s infrastructure bore similarities to Sanders’ presidential runs, grassroots, data-driven, and movement-based.
Mamdani now faces incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent after corruption probes tarnished his Democratic standing, though the investigations were recently dropped by the Trump administration. Cuomo has hinted at an independent run of his own. Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, will also be on the ballot.
With federal issues such as immigration, transit funding, and Manhattan’s embattled congestion pricing plan on the line, New York's next mayor will wield enormous influence over the city's trajectory during the final years of the Trump presidency.
Ranked-choice voting, approved in 2019, played a pivotal role. Mamdani dominated second- and third-choice preferences among voters under 50, who supported him by a 2-to-1 margin, per Emerson.
With this win, Mamdani becomes a national symbol of a growing leftist wave, one rooted in community organizing, economic justice, and defiance of political orthodoxy.
Read next: Pro-Israeli billionaires fuel NYC Mayor crackdown on Columbia students
