Will Zohran Mamdani A Democratic Socialist Become Nyc Mayor Nbc

Leo Migdal

-Dec 3, 2025, 1:29 PM

will zohran mamdani a democratic socialist become nyc mayor nbc

Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani finished second in a new poll showing who Democratic voters will support in the New York City mayoral primary, garnering support from 29%. Mamdani is a Democratic Socialist with some controversial views, but he insists his campaign for a more affordable city is surging. NBC New York’s Melissa Russo reports. Zohran Mamdani has buzz and some momentum in New York City's mayoral race. But can a 33-year-old democratic socialist — or anyone else — beat former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary?

The endorsement, made the day after the first Democratic debate of the campaign, is likely to help solidify Mamdani's standing as a liberal darling in the contest, now in its final three weeks. Democrat Zohran Mamdani has won New York’s mayoral race, NBC News projects, after the 34-year-old democratic socialist energized progressives in the city and across the country while generating intense backlash from President Donald Trump... In his victory speech after vanquishing former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Mamdani claimed a broad mandate and set himself up in direct opposition to Trump, who made a late endorsement against him. "In this moment of political darkness, New York will be the light," Mamdani said. "Together, we will usher in a generation of change, and if we embrace this brave new course, rather than fleeing from it, we can respond to oligarchy and authoritarianism with the strength it fears,...

"This is not only how we stop Trump, it's how we stop the next one," Mamdani said. "So Donald Trump, since I know you're watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up." Trump wasn't the only subject of Mamdani's speech, which he started by quoting the 19th- and 20th-century American socialist Eugene Debs and continued by promising the "most ambitious agenda" to address costs in New... The 34-year-old, Ugandan-born democratic socialist defeated former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an Independent, in Tuesday's election, according to a race call by the Associated Press. A major development tonight on the local election that is being watched across the country.

Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani will be the next mayor of New York City. That is according to a call made by the Associated Press shortly after polls closed at 9 p.m. Eastern time. Mamdani came from behind in the Democratic primaries last summer, and then he dominated in the general election, beating former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa. NPR's Brian Mann is on the street tonight in Brooklyn and joins us now. Hi.

SUMMERS: Brian, that was a pretty quick call as elections go. Tell us why. MANN: Yeah. This was a huge turnout across the city, and Zohran Mamdani just, again, dominated. He got a massive turnout from his supporters. I'm here at his celebration headquarters in Brooklyn, and when news came that the race had been called, Juana, there was a huge cheer.

People here have been celebrating all evening. They thought this was the way it was going to go, and now it's official. SUMMERS: He faced a veteran political operator in Andrew Cuomo. He also faced tens of millions of dollars in super PAC spending by billionaires who were really hoping to block the election of a Democratic socialist. So I want to talk for a minute about Cuomo's campaign. What seemed to happen there?

Mamdani has been a member of the Democratic Socialists of America since 2017. When Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election, Grace Mausser had just graduated from college. "I was very much a part of the liberal establishment -- more on the progressive side -- but totally believed that Hillary Clinton was going to win," said the 31-year-old Houston native. "Like millions of other people, I was totally shocked and really dismayed." Searching for a way to turn her disappointment into action, Mausser recalled the energy behind Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign that year -- and how he referred to himself as a democratic socialist on the... Mausser found the Democratic Socialists of America and became involved in her local New York City chapter, where she met then-New York State Assembly candidate Zohran Mamdani, who has been a member of DSA...

In a stunning result, 33-year-old Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist in his third term in the New York State Assembly, declared victory over former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary for mayor. With New York City's ranked-choice system, the results are not yet official but Cuomo conceded on Tuesday. Mamdani built a progressive platform that energized voters, but which many observers think is impractical or actually dangerous for the city. In an interview with journalist Derek Thompson, who has criticized Mamdani’s policy ideas, Mamdani directly addressed the problem of how he would govern. He said “leadership can…be someone who recognizes what they know and what they don’t know and surrounds themselves with people who challenge them.” And he said “the way I would approach running the city... That’s the core challenge if Mamdani becomes mayor of New York City, as now seems likely.

His recent statements suggest he’s well aware of the operational challenges of actually trying to run New York City. But he faces a lot of skepticism, rooted not only in opposition to some of his policies, but also his lack of experience. Mamdani energized voters by advocating a wide range of progressive policies, including building affordable housing, freezing rents on over 900,000 apartments, free buses with no fare system, building and operating city-owned grocery stores, and... These policies would be paid for by raising the corporate income tax and the personal income tax on people earning over $1 million annually, along with a $70 billion increase in the city’s borrowing. When reviewing Mamdani’s program, economist Noah Smith spoke for many observers when he said “some of these ideas are just bad.” Commentator Josh Barro went further, saying Mamdani’s ideas “are just bad, bad, bad”... Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani arrives at the NBC studios to participate in a Democratic mayoral primary debate, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in New York.

(AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, Pool) Democratic mayoral candidates Zohran Mamdani, left, and Michael Blake leave the WNBC studio after participating in a Democratic mayoral primary debate, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, Pool) NEW YORK (AP) — Zohran Mamdani has buzz and some momentum in New York City’s mayoral race. But can a 33-year-old democratic socialist — or anyone else — beat former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary?

Mamdani picked up a key endorsement Thursday from U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who said in a statement that the state lawmaker “has demonstrated a real ability on the ground to put together a coalition of working-class New Yorkers that is strongest to lead the... The endorsement, made the day after the first Democratic debate of the campaign, is likely to help solidify Mamdani’s standing as a liberal darling in the contest, now in its final three weeks. Asking people about New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and his democratic socialist beliefs is the new Rorschach test ahead of the 2026 congressional elections. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy called the 34-year-old assemblyman a "communist" while HBO's John Oliver praised his forceful Nov.

4 victory speech as "satisfying" after a nasty campaign. As far as voters like Alexandria Hollis are concerned, however, no label matters if an elected official can understand rising anger over the cost of living. "I definitely have a couple people that I'm close with that are very against capitalism now, and see it as a system that isn't really working much anymore," the 30-year-old pharmacist, who lives in... "I don't think it's working, especially in like my field, which is health care," she added. "Capitalism is just not working." Zohran Mamdani is poised to become the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, after leading in the city's ranked-choice primary on Tuesday.

The 33-year-old state assemblymember and democratic socialist was virtually unknown when he jumped into the crowded primary field last fall. But he had recently skyrocketed in the polls, fueled by in-person interactions, viral videos and policy proposals that appear to have resonated especially among younger and first-time primary voters. "I think everyone is stunned and shocked by the unexpected nature of his victory," says Patrick Egan, a professor of politics and public policy at New York University. "And I think one of the other notable things about that victory is that he won with a really progressive, liberal left-wing platform of the kind that we probably haven't ever seen in New... With 93% of precincts reporting, Mamdani garnered 44% of ballots — the most of the 11 candidates and far more than the 36% of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the one-time frontrunner.

Cuomo conceded to Mamdani on Tuesday night, but has left the door open to run as an independent in November's general election. The primary isn't officially over: The losing candidates' ballots must be redistributed to voters' second-choice candidates until one of them breaks the 50% threshold, a process that is set to begin on July 1. NEW YORK — Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York on Tuesday, capping a stunning ascent for the 34-year-old, far-left state lawmaker, who promised to transform city government to restore power to the... In a victory for the Democratic party’s progressive wing, Mamdani defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Mamdani must now navigate the unending demands of America’s biggest city and deliver on ambitious — skeptics say unrealistic — campaign promises.

With his commanding win, the democratic socialist will etch his place in history as the city’s first Muslim mayor, the first of South Asian heritage and the first born in Africa. He will also become New York’s youngest mayor in more than a century when he takes office on Jan. 1. “The conventional wisdom would tell you that I am far from the perfect candidate. I am young, despite my best efforts to grow older. I am Muslim.

I am a democratic socialist. And most damning of all, I refuse to apologize for any of this,” Mamdani declared to a roaring crowd at his victory party. » READ MORE: Blue wave? Democrats build momentum with a sweep of high-profile races in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Virginia

Will Zohran Mamdani A Democratic Socialist Become Nyc Mayor Nbc

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