NEW YORK: Zohran Mamdani declared victory in New York City\u2019s Democratic mayoral primary Tuesday night after Andrew Cuomo conceded the race in a stunning upset, as the young, progressive upstart built a substantial lead over the more experienced but scandal-scarred former governor.<\/p>\n
Though the race\u2019s ultimate outcome will still be decided by a ranked choice count, Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist who was virtually unknown outside of political circles a year ago, was in a commanding position.<\/p>\n
In a speech to supporters, Mamdani said, \u201cTonight, we made history.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI will be your Democratic nominee for the mayor of New York City,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Cuomo, who was trying to make a comeback from a sexual harassment scandal, told supporters that he had called Mamdani to congratulate him.<\/p>\n
\u201cTonight is his night. He deserved it. He won,\u201d Cuomo told supporters.<\/p>\n
He trailed Mamdani by a significant margin in the first choice ballots and faced an exceedingly difficult pathway to catching up when ballots are redistributed in New York City\u2019s ranked choice voting process.<\/p>\n
Mamdani would be the city\u2019s first Muslim and Indian American mayor if elected. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams skipped the primary. He\u2019s running as an independent in the general election. Cuomo also has the option of running in the general election.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are going to take a look and make some decisions,\u201d Cuomo said.<\/p>\n
Unofficial results from the New York City\u2019s Board of Elections showed that Mamdani was ranked on more ballots than Cuomo. Mamdani was listed as the second choice by tens of thousands of more voters than Cuomo. And the number of votes that will factor into ranked choice voting is sure to shrink. More than 200,000 voters only listed a first choice, the Board of Elections results show, meaning that Mamdani\u2019s performance in the first round may ultimately be enough to clear the 50 percent threshold.<\/p>\n
The race\u2019s ultimate outcome could say something about what kind of leader Democrats are looking for during President Donald Trump\u2019s second term.<\/p>\n
The vote took place about four years after Cuomo, 67, resigned as governor following a sexual harassment scandal. Yet he has been the favorite throughout the race, with his deep experience, name recognition, strong political connections and juggernaut fundraising apparatus.<\/p>\n
The party\u2019s progressive wing, meanwhile, had coalesced behind Mamdani. A relatively unknown state legislator when the contest began, Mamdani gained momentum by running a sharp campaign laser-focused on the city\u2019s high cost of living and secured endorsements from two of the country\u2019s foremost progressives, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders.<\/p>\n
The primary winner will go on to face incumbent Adams, a Democrat who decided to run as an independent amid a public uproar over his indictment on corruption charges and the subsequent abandonment of the case by Trump\u2019s Justice Department. Republican Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels, will be on the ballot in the fall\u2019s general election.<\/p>\n
The mayoral primary\u2019s two leading candidates \u2014 one a fresh-faced progressive and the other an older moderate \u2014 were stand-ins for the larger Democratic Party\u2019s ideological divide, though Cuomo\u2019s scandal-scarred past adds a unique tinge to the narrative.<\/p>\n
The rest of the pack has struggled to gain recognition in a race where nearly every candidate has cast themselves as the person best positioned to challenge Trump\u2019s agenda.<\/p>\n
Comptroller Brad Lander, a liberal city government stalwart, made a splash last week when he was arrested after linking arms with a man federal agents were trying to detain at an immigration court in Manhattan. It was unclear if that episode was enough to jump-start a campaign that had been failing to pick up speed behind Lander.<\/p>\n
Among the other candidates are City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, hedge fund executive Whitney Tilson and former city Comptroller Scott Stringer.<\/p>\n
Mamdani\u2019s energetic run has been hard not to notice.<\/p>\n
His army of young canvassers relentlessly knocked on doors throughout the city seeking support. Posters of his grinning mug were up on shop windows. You couldn\u2019t get on social media without seeing one of his well-produced videos pitching his vision \u2014 free buses, free child care, new apartments, a higher minimum wage and more, paid for by new taxes on rich people.<\/p>\n
That youthful energy was apparent Tuesday evening, as both cautiously optimistic canvassers and ecstatic supporters lined the streets of Central Brooklyn, creating a party-like atmosphere that spread from poll sites into the surrounding neighborhoods.<\/p>\n
Outside his family\u2019s Caribbean apothecary, Amani Kojo, a 23-year-old first-time voter, passed out iced tea to Mamdani canvassers, encouraging them to stay hydrated.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s 100 degrees outside and it\u2019s a vibe. New York City feels alive again,\u201d Kojo said, raising a pile of Mamdani pamphlets. \u201cIt feels very electric seeing all the people around, the flyers, all the posts on my Instagram all day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cuomo and some other Democrats have cast Mamdani as unqualified. They say he doesn\u2019t have the management chops to wrangle the city\u2019s sprawling bureaucracy or handle crises. Critics have also taken aim at Mamdani\u2019s support for Palestinian human rights.<\/p>\n
In response, Mamdani has slammed Cuomo over his sexual harassment scandal and his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
In one heated debate exchange, Cuomo rattled off a long list of what he saw as Mamdani\u2019s managerial shortcomings, arguing that his opponent, who has been in the state Assembly since 2021, has never dealt with Congress or unions and never overseen an infrastructure project. He added that Mamdani couldn\u2019t be relied upon to go toe-to-toe with Trump.<\/p>\n
Mamdani had a counter ready.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo Mr. Cuomo, I have never had to resign in disgrace,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Cuomo resigned in 2021 after a report commissioned by the state attorney general concluded that he had sexually harassed at least 11 women. He has always maintained that he didn\u2019t intentionally harass the women, saying he had simply fallen behind what was considered appropriate workplace conduct.<\/p>\n
During the campaign, he has become more aggressive in defending himself, framing the situation as a political hit job orchestrated by his enemies.<\/p>\n
The fresh scandal at City Hall involving Mayor Eric Adams, though, gave Cuomo a path to end his exile.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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