Mamdani Wins Stunning Upset In Democratic Primary As Cuomo Concedes

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Oct 23, 2025, 4:53 AM

mamdani wins stunning upset in democratic primary as cuomo concedes

Our nonprofit newsroom relies on readers like you to power investigations like these. Join the community that powers NYC’s independent local news. Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani is on track to secure the Democratic nomination for mayor, after former Gov. Andrew Cuomo conceded to him Tuesday night following the first round of ranked-choice primary votes. The early upset in the mayoral race was remarkable. The 33-year-old Democratic socialist rallied new and young voters to his cause and launched a ground game that outmatched the field.

Mamdani took the lead against the 67-year-old former governor, who resigned in disgrace after multiple accusations of sexual harassment yet enjoyed outsize name recognition and more than triple the money spent on his behalf. After a stunning victory in the New York City Democratic primary for mayor, Zohran Mamdani is top of mind for many New York lawmakers, both Republican and Democrat. That includes President Donald Trump, who called him a “100% Communist Lunatic.” NBC New York’s Andrew Siff reports. Zohran Mamdani declared victory in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary Tuesday night after Andrew Cuomo conceded the race in a stunning upset, as the young, progressive upstart who was virtually unknown when the... Though the race’s ultimate outcome will still be decided by a ranked choice count, Mamdani took a commanding position just hours after the polls closed. With victory all but assured, Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist who ran an energetic campaign centered on the cost of living, told supporters, “I will be your Democratic nominee for the mayor of New...

“I will be the mayor for every New Yorker, whether you voted for me, for Governor Cuomo, or felt too disillusioned by a long-broken political system to vote at all,” he said. “I will work to be a mayor you will be proud to call your own.” Dark-horse socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani staged a stunning upset Tuesday night by knocking off former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic mayoral primary. “Tonight we made history,” Mamdani told supporters at his victory party after midnight. “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.” The 33-year-old Queens assemblyman defied polls and expectations as he notched a likely insurmountable 7-point lead over Cuomo, the three-term governor who hoped to make a political comeback after resigning in disgrace in 2021. “Tonight is his night. He deserved it, he won,” a seemingly shell-shocked Cuomo, 67, said as he conceded to Mamdani. The first round of the ranked-choice voting contest had Mamdani ahead with 43.51% of votes, followed by Cuomo’s 36.42% and city Comptroller Brad Lander’s 11.31%, Board of Elections unofficial results show. Mamdani carried roughly 432,000 votes to Cuomo’s 362,000, the results show.

Anthony Izaguirre, Associated Press Anthony Izaguirre, Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Zohran Mamdani declared victory in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary Tuesday night after Andrew Cuomo conceded the race in a stunning upset, as the young, progressive upstart who was... LIVE RESULTS: New York City mayor’s race Democratic primary Though the race’s ultimate outcome will still be decided by a ranked choice count, Mamdani took a commanding position just hours after the polls closed. With victory all but assured, Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist who ran an energetic campaign centered on the cost of living, told supporters, “I will be your Democratic nominee for the mayor of New... Zohran Mamdani was leading among the candidates voters ranked first.

In the closely watched New York City Democratic mayoral primary, no candidate reached the 50% threshold needed to be declared the winner outright. But after a strong showing in the first round, state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani declared victory over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who conceded earlier, in what was shaping up to be a remarkable upset. The New York City Board of Elections reported as of 10:30 p.m. Tuesday that Mamdani was leading among the candidates voters ranked first on their ballot, with 44% of the vote. Cuomo was second with about 36%.

City comptroller Brad Lander followed with about 11%. The early results amounted to a strong showing for Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, who had gained momentum in polling and fundraising in the closing weeks of the campaign and... In an impassioned speech to supporters shortly after midnight, Mamdani declared, "Tonight, we made history," adding, "I will be your Democratic nominee for the mayor of New York City." 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... Updated on: June 26, 2025 / 9:15 AM EDT / CBS New York Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani turned the race for New York City mayor on its ear on Tuesday night with his stunning upset victory over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary. Mamdani's accomplishment, which was similar to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's shocking win over longtime Congressman Joe Crowley in 2018, has left many in the political establishment trying to figure out what exactly happened. Hours after the polls closed, Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic socialist, basked in what was once thought unimaginable by many, beating the man who led most of the polls heading into Election Day.

"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, one where those who toil in the night can...

Mamdani Wins Stunning Upset In Democratic Primary As Cuomo Concedes

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Anthony Izaguirre, Associated Press Anthony Izaguirre, Associated Press NEW YORK