How Zohran Mamdani Stunned New York And Won The Primary For Mayor

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Oct 23, 2025, 3:04 AM

how zohran mamdani stunned new york and won the primary for mayor

Zohran Mamdani decided, in his quest to become New York City's mayor, he would walk the entire length of Manhattan - starting at 19:00 one Friday evening in early June. Video of the feat on social media captures New Yorkers frame-by-frame giving him thumbs up and embracing him. Several clap for the "next mayor". He's doing it, he tells followers, because New Yorkers deserve a mayor they can see, hear and even yell at. It takes only a quick scroll through 33-year-old Mamdani's social media accounts to understand just how different his style is from that of a traditional politician, rejecting typical soundbites for a more unrehearsed feel. After he won the New York Democratic primary on Tuesday, that playbook is getting accolades for its ability to attract a large coalition.

This is a wakeup call for the Democratic Party, said pollster Frank Luntz. The big loser of the night wasn't his main opponent, former governor Andrew Cuomo, he said, but the US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who represents the Democratic Party establishment. Grassroots Democrats are demanding "a more ideological, confrontational approach to policy and politics" in the time of US President Donald Trump, Mr Luntz said. Zohran Mamdani spoke at a rally in Harlem Saturday as he seeks to widen support following New York City’s Democratic primary. Mamdani declared victory over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Results will be finalized after the city’s ranked choice vote-counting resumes Tuesday. (AP video: Mary Conlon) NEW YORK (AP) — Zohran Mamdani has won New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, a new vote count confirmed Tuesday, cementing his stunning upset of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and sending him to the general election. The Associated Press called the race after the results of the city’s ranked choice voting tabulation were released and showed Mamdani trouncing Cuomo by 12 percentage points. Mamdani said he was humbled by the support he received in the primary and has started turning his attention to November.

“Last Tuesday, Democrats spoke in a clear voice, delivering a mandate for an affordable city, a politics of the future, and a leader unafraid to fight back against rising authoritarianism,” he said in a... Zohran Mamdani declared victory in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary on Tuesday night, after former governor Andrew Cuomo conceded the race in a stunning upset. Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic socialist who galvanized voters with an energetic campaign centered on the cost of living, took a commanding position just hours after the polls closed, though the race's ultimate outcome will... With victory all but assured, Mamdani told supporters on Tuesday night: "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."

Newsweek has contacted the Mamdani and Cuomo campaigns for comment via email outside of regular working hours. Mamdani, a member of the state Assembly since 2021, has not officially been declared the winner since he has not received more than 50 percent of the vote. NEW YORK − Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic Socialist state Assembly member, upset mainstream Democratic politics by defying expectations and taking a commanding lead in the June 24 New York City mayoral primary. Just after midnight, he addressed supporters, saying he and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the moderate Democrat who was the front-runner, need to bring the nation's largest city together. "Tonight, we made history," Mamdani boasted to a celebrating crowd in Queens.

With 96% of the vote counted, Mamdani led Cuomo 44% to 36% in first-place votes. Less than two hours after polls closed on June 24, Cuomo, 67, had said he had already called Mamdani to congratulate him on his historic campaign. Anthony Izaguirre, Associated Press Anthony Izaguirre, Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Zohran Mamdani has won New York City's Democratic mayoral primary, a new vote count confirmed Tuesday, cementing his stunning upset of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and sending him to the general election. The Associated Press called the race after the results of the city's ranked choice voting tabulation were released and showed Mamdani trouncing Cuomo by 12 percentage points.

In a statement, Mamdani said he was humbled by the support he received in the primary and started turning his attention to the general election. "Last Tuesday, Democrats spoke in a clear voice, delivering a mandate for an affordable city, a politics of the future, and a leader unafraid to fight back against rising authoritarianism," he said. "I am humbled by the support of more than 545,000 New Yorkers who voted for our campaign and am excited to expand this coalition even further as we defeat Eric Adams and win a... Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani (D-Queens) rode a wave of strong support from his home borough and Brooklyn en route to his apparent and stunning upset victory over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo for the Democratic mayoral nomination Tuesday. Assuming Mamdani officially clinches the Democratic nomination, he will face off against Mayor Eric Adams, who is running in the general election as an independent, and Curtis Sliwa, who is the sole Republican nominee.

Cuomo has said he is exploring the option of an independent run, though he has not made his intent to run in November official yet. Though first-round votes are still trickling in and tabulation will proceed past multiple rounds should no candidate earn a majority outright, data from the New York City Board of Elections provides insight into which... Here’s a breakdown of the numbers from what we know so far. Across the city, Mamdani is projected to earn about 43.51% of first-choice votes. Cuomo is set to earn 36.42% while City Comptroller Brad Lander is projected for 11.31%, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams is polling at 4.12%, and former City Comptroller Scott Stringer at 1.65%. All other candidates are projected to receive less than 1% of first-choice votes.

Brooklyn, the most populous borough in New York City with over 2.6 million residents, was Mamdani’s strongest borough, with 48.77% of tabulated votes so far being for the Assembly member. Cuomo came in far behind with 31.60% of reported votes, and Lander, who cross-endorsed Mamdani as part of a ranked-choice voting strategy, appears to be coming in third with 11.94% of votes. New Yorkers elected their first socialist mayor Tuesday, handing far-left Democrat Zohran Mamdani a historic victory — as he claimed a mandate for his potentially budget-busting progressive agenda and all but declared war on... The Associated Press and NY1 called the race for the 34-year-old Mamdani about 40 minutes after polls closed at 9 p.m., eliciting cheers from his supporters at his campaign’s Brooklyn watch party. “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... He then taunted Trump, prompting cheers from the fired-up crowd.

“So Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up,” Mamdani said. Before declaring the dawning of a new socialist era, consider just how unusual this election was. Thirty-three-year-old state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani’s momentous victory in the New York City mayoral primary over his chief rival, former governor Andrew M. Cuomo, has “stunned” New York’s establishment, and superficially ushered in a new day in which New Yorkers no longer care about public safety and order and instead are focused on securing more free stuff. Before declaring the dawning of a new socialist era, though, consider just how unusual this election was. 1.

Turnout. The primary didn’t spur a massive increase in voter participation. With 96 percent of the vote in, just shy of 1 million people have voted, not a significant increase above the 950,000 people who came out in 2021. What changed the makeup of this voter base was arguably not an ideological shift in the city, but electoral rigor. Which brings us to . .

. 2. GOTV. Mamdani, who garnered 43.5 percent of the vote, ran an enthusiastic and competent get-out-the-vote operation, which started last October. He turned his campaign into a social event, particularly for young people, and he adeptly used the tens of thousands of volunteers he attracted to capitalize on New York’s early-voting period, which started June... Early voting surged.

Cuomo, by contrast, didn’t even enter the race until this March. He didn’t try to connect with the grass roots, and instead ran a more traditional get-out-the-vote strategy, reliant on union members and paid workers, and focused mostly on the weekend before Election Day and... Which, as it turned out, was hot—very hot. 3. 100°F. The New York City temperature on Election Day was 100 degrees, which kept some of Cuomo’s voting base—older people—home.

They stayed home in part because of the dangerously oppressive heat and humidity but also because of …

How Zohran Mamdani Stunned New York And Won The Primary For Mayor

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Newsweek Has Contacted The Mamdani And Cuomo Campaigns For Comment