Even before the vote, it was clear that this election would attract a great deal of interest among the electorate. 735,000 eligible voters had already cast their ballots in advance of yesterday’s election day — a new record. By the time polling stations closed on Tuesday evening, over 2 million people in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island, the Bronx, and Queens had cast their votes, more than in any other mayoral election in New York in recent decades.
Stefan Liebich directs the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation’s New York Office.
Zohran Mamdani, the 34-year-old Muslim New York State Assemblyman born in Uganda, won by a clear margin with just over 50 percent of the votes cast. His closest rival, Andrew Cuomo, the former governor of New York State, received just under 42 percent, and the Republican candidate, Curtis Sliwa, who was not even supported by Donald Trump (he instead called for Cuomo to be elected), came in a distant third with 7 percent.
The election of a socialist in the largest city in the US, a country currently dominated by the president’s MAGA movement, is good news. The city’s — and the country’s — Left celebrated loudly at the election party in Astoria, the constituency Mamdani currently represents in the State Assembly. His supporters chanted, "He is not a moment but a movement!”, promising to continue supporting him in office.
A Recipe for Success
There are tangible reasons for Mamdani’s victory. His focus on reducing the cost of living through rent controls, free busing, free childcare, municipally owned supermarkets with affordable prices, a higher minimum wage, and higher taxes on the rich and corporations struck a chord with the majority. His promise to make the city “Trump-proof” was well received by many migrants and the LGBTIQ* community. Moreover, his opposition to the Israeli army’s war in the Gaza Strip met with broad support, including from many Jewish residents.
Another important factor in Mamdani’s election victory was the support of activists from the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), who knocked on 1.6 million doors with the help of thousands of volunteers to campaign for their candidate.
The controversy surrounding Mamdani and whether to endorse him shows how hard the Democrats are currently struggling over the path they want to pursue in next year’s midterm congressional elections.
The significance of the election result extends far beyond the city on the East River. Numerous supporters rallied behind Mamdani, led by Senator Bernie Sanders, who also began his political career as a mayor. Senator Elizabeth Warren and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the country’s best-known progressive congresswoman, also supported him, as did many prominent artists, trade unions, and left-wing organizations.
The Fight for the Democrats’ Future
Yet key Democrats such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both from New York, saw things differently. Jeffries hesitated for a long time before half-heartedly calling for Mamdani to be elected, and Schumer could not bring himself to support him until the very end. Although few Democrats publicly supported Cuomo, many seemed to be secretly speculating that the former governor, now running as an independent candidate after his defeat in the primaries, could still beat Mamdani.
The controversy surrounding Mamdani and whether to endorse him shows how hard the Democrats are currently struggling over the path they want to pursue in next year’s midterm congressional elections. Part of the establishment is counting on the Trump administration to make so many unpopular decisions that the Democrats will win “automatically” and thus continues to back “moderate” candidates.
The left wing, on the other hand, calls for a clear break with the neoliberal policies of the past. A new study supported by the New York Office of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation shows that both the term “democratic socialism” and candidates who identify as socialists are very popular among Democratic voters. Mamdani’s victory now significantly increases the pressure on the old party establishment.
That said, Mamdani will face enormous challenges. President Trump has already announced his intention to cut federal funding for the city. Many New Yorkers also fear that the White House will soon send in troops. At the same time, however, many people are reacting rather fearlessly, like a young woman in Astoria who said: “Hey, we’re New Yorkers. He doesn’t scare us!”
To finance his reform programme, Mamdani needs the support of the state governor, Kathy Hochul. Although the Democrat endorsed him in the election, she opposed his demand for higher taxes on the rich. It will also be interesting to see how his organization, DSA, will deal with “their” mayor when he begins to govern from City Hall in Midtown Manhattan.
For now, however, New York celebrates.
Translated by Loren Balhorn.