Zohran Mamdani Triumphs Over Cuomo In NYC Primary/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Zohran Mamdani won New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, defeating former Gov. Andrew Cuomo by 12 points. His progressive platform sets up a heated general election against Eric Adams and others. Mamdani’s victory signals a shift left while drawing criticism from moderates and Republicans alike.
Quick Look
Zohran Mamdani NYC Primary Quick Look
- Mamdani wins Democratic primary, beats Cuomo by 12 points
- Advances to general election facing Adams, Sliwa, Walden
- Could become NYC’s first Muslim and Indian American mayor
- Progressive platform includes free buses, rent freezes, new taxes
- Cuomo mulls independent run despite primary defeat
- GOP seizes chance to paint Mamdani as far-left
- Ranked choice voting determined final outcome
- Election certification scheduled for July 15
Zohran Mamdani Clinches NYC Democratic Mayoral Primary, Defeats Ex-Gov. Cuomo in Stunning Upset
Deep Look
NEW YORK (AP) — Zohran Mamdani has officially won New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, securing a dramatic victory over former Governor Andrew Cuomo and clearing his path to the general election in November.
The Associated Press called the race Tuesday following the release of the city’s ranked choice voting results, which showed Mamdani defeating Cuomo by a decisive 12-point margin.
Mamdani’s triumph had been widely anticipated ever since he surged into the lead on primary night a week earlier. He fell just short of the outright majority required to avoid additional vote tabulations under the city’s ranked choice system, which reallocates votes from eliminated candidates based on voters’ next preferences.
Having declared victory on the night of the June 24 primary, Mamdani now advances to a general election contest that includes incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, independent candidate Jim Walden, and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
Cuomo conceded on primary night but has left open the possibility of continuing his bid as an independent candidate in November.
At just 33 years old, Mamdani, a democratic socialist and state Assembly member, was a political underdog when he entered the race with a bold, populist agenda. Yet he built a high-energy campaign that outmaneuvered Cuomo’s efforts to stage a political comeback after resigning four years ago amid a sexual harassment scandal.
Mamdani’s unexpected victory has sent ripples through political circles, revealing a potential new playbook for progressive Democrats seeking to energize the party base during President Donald Trump’s second term in the White House.
Still, Mamdani’s ascent has created unease within the Democratic establishment. While many prominent figures have offered cautious praise, there’s hesitancy to fully embrace him, given his outspoken criticisms of law enforcement, his use of the term “genocide” to describe Israel’s actions in Gaza, and his self-identification as a democratic socialist—all positions that some party leaders view as politically precarious.
If elected in November, Mamdani would become New York City’s first Muslim mayor and the first mayor of Indian American descent, as well as one of the youngest people ever to hold the office.
Meanwhile, Republicans have swiftly seized on Mamdani’s left-leaning platform as fodder for their national narrative. Trump and other GOP figures have cast Mamdani as the embodiment of progressive overreach, seeking to tie his candidacy to broader critiques of the Democratic Party ahead of pivotal elections in 2025 and 2026.
“If I’m a Republican, I want this guy to win,” said Grant Reeher, a political science professor at Syracuse University. “Because I want to be able to compare and contrast my campaign as a Republican, in a national election, to the idea of, ‘This is where the Democratic Party is.’”
New York City’s ranked choice voting system allows voters to list up to five candidates in order of preference. If no candidate secures more than 50% of first-choice votes, votes from eliminated candidates are redistributed until one contender achieves a majority. With no candidate reaching that threshold on June 24, the ranked choice process determined the outcome. Official certification of the election results is scheduled for July 15.
Mamdani, who has served in the state Assembly since 2021, has embraced his relative inexperience as a selling point, arguing that fresh ideas are needed at City Hall. His campaign promises include free city bus service, universal child care, a freeze on rents for tenants in rent-stabilized apartments, and government-run grocery stores, funded through higher taxes on the wealthy. Critics, however, have labeled his proposals unrealistic and potentially harmful to the city’s finances.
Cuomo, for his part, ran a campaign highlighting his long record of governance, arguing that he was uniquely positioned to steer New York City through turbulent times. He placed heavy emphasis on fighting antisemitism, leaned on his widespread name recognition, and drew on his formidable fundraising network rather than engaging directly with voters at public events.
Cuomo has consistently denied allegations of sexual harassment that forced his resignation in 2021, maintaining that his downfall was politically motivated and that New Yorkers are ready to give him another chance.
Although Cuomo did not formally withdraw from the November ballot ahead of last week’s procedural deadline, he has yet to announce whether he will actively continue his campaign as an independent.
Meanwhile, Mayor Eric Adams, though still a registered Democrat, will appear on the November ballot as an independent candidate. Adams withdrew from the Democratic primary in April after being severely wounded politically by a federal bribery investigation, which was later dismissed. While he had largely suspended campaigning, Adams reignited his re-election effort after Mamdani claimed victory, framing the choice as one between a “blue collar” mayor and a candidate with a “silver spoon.”
You must Register or Login to post a comment.