Lawmaker and self-described democratic socialist, 33-year-old state representative Zohran Mamdani, is about to win New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo.
After calling Mamdani to congratulate him, Cuomo, 67, accepted the race and said, “Tonight is his evening.” Four years after quitting over claims of sexual harassment, Cuomo was searching for a comeback.
While nine other Democratic candidates fell far behind, Mamdani led Cuomo 43.5% to 36.4% with 95% of ballot scanners reporting. Though ranked-choice voting delays final results, Mamdani’s lead appears too strong for others to catch up.
The system allows voters to pick up to five candidates. In each round, votes from the lowest-ranked are transferred until one candidate reaches 50%.
City Comptroller Brad Lander, who placed third with 11.6%, had urged his supporters to rank Mamdani second. That alliance could help him widen his lead even further in the remaining rounds. The race became a reflection of where Democrats stand under Republican President Donald Trump’s second term.
Andrew Cuomo, backed by Bill Clinton and Michael Bloomberg, ran as a moderate supported by the party establishment. He positioned himself as a progressive challenger calling for change.
“I think it’s time for someone young, a person of colour, something different,” said 28-year-old actor Ignacio Tambunting, who voted for Mamdani. Another voter, Leah Johanson, 39, also ranked Mamdani first, despite concerns he might be “too liberal.” She said, “I’m not gonna vote for a man who is credibly accused of molesting females.” Johanson lives in Queens, the same borough as Mamdani.
Cuomo has denied the harassment accusations, which he has characterised as ill-conceived attempts to be affectionate or humorous. Still, he struggled to recover from the damage. While Mamdani highlighted those accusations, Cuomo fired back by questioning Mamdani’s lack of experience.
Mamdani is now likely the leading candidate for November’s general election. Current Mayor Eric Adams, running as an independent, has lost support due to corruption scandals and perceived connections to Trump. The Republican candidate, Curtis Sliwa, who founded the Guardian Angels patrol group, lost to Adams in 2021.
Mamdani and Lander’s mutual support helped them appeal to progressive voters. Lander also made headlines last week when police briefly detained him for helping someone leave immigration court.
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