Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old NY state assemblymember from Queens, has been elected the 111th mayor of New York City on November 4, 2025. 

His victory is historic on several counts, he will be the city’s first Muslim mayor, the first South Asian to hold the office, and the youngest person to win the job in more than a century. He secured a clear majority of votes, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa. He won with more than 50 percent of the vote in polling held on Tuesday.

Victory Speech

At the Brooklyn Paramount, Mamdani told supporters that New York had delivered “a mandate for change, a mandate for a new kind of politics, a mandate for a city we can afford and a mandate for a government that delivers exactly that.” He added “New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and as of tonight, led by an immigrant.”

He then invoked India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s famous 1947 midnight address, saying “A moment comes but rarely in history when we step out from the old to the new.” “When an age ends and when the soul of a nation long suppressed finds utterance. Tonight, we have stepped out from the old into the new,” he added. 

He also addressed President Donald Trump directly. He said “This is not only how we stop Trump ‒ it’s how we stop the next one. So, Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up.”

Trump had mocked Mamdani as a communist and a nut job and warned that he might try to withhold federal funds from New York City under a Mamdani mayorship.

Indian-American Leaders Reaction

Pramila Jayapal, Democratic Congresswoman from Washington’s 7th Congressional District, celebrated the result and wrote “HUGE WIN! Congrats to NYC Mayor-Elect! Proud to have been an early supporter of Zohran & his people-powered campaign rooted in justice, dignity, and care for all. This victory is a mandate to deliver real results for working people—and a lesson for Democrats across the country.”

Ro Khanna, Democratic Congressman from California’s 17th District, which includes Silicon Valley, praised the choice and said “And New Yorkers chose well by electing Zohran Mamdani. We are a big tent party, and that includes progressives!”

Political Reactions

Mamdani’s win arrived on a busy political night and the online response was immediate. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Tuesday and cited unnamed pollsters. He wrote “TRUMP WASN’T ON THE BALLOT, AND SHUTDOWN, WERE THE TWO REASONS THAT REPUBLICANS LOST ELECTIONS TONIGHT.”

On Wednesday morning he spoke to senators about the results. He called the night “an interesting evening.” He added “Last night it was, you know, not expected to be a victory” and said the election was “very democratic” and “it wasn’t good for Republicans.” He closed by saying “But we had, an interesting evening and we learned a lot.”

Former President Barack Obama posted on X without naming a specific race. He wrote “Congratulations to all the Democratic candidates who won tonight. It’s a reminder that when we come together around strong, forward-looking leaders who care about the issues that matter, we can win. We’ve still got plenty of work to do, but the future looks a little bit brighter.” 

He did not endorse in the New York City contest. That is consistent with his approach of avoiding municipal races since leaving office. He had praised Mamdani’s campaign on a call the previous Saturday.

House Speaker Mike Johnson criticized the outcome. He said “Democrats in New York City have chosen a true extremist and Marxist, and the consequences will be felt across our entire nation.” 

He also posted on X that “Zohran Mamdani’s election cements the Democrat Party’s transformation to a radical, big-government socialist party,” and that while “Mamdani’s extreme agenda is the future of the Democrat Party,” the GOP “will never allow it to be the future of America.”

Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin, the ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee, celebrated the result. He posted “Mamdani brings Rooseveltian vision, youthful energy and pragmatic hope to the Big Apple.”

Business Community Reactions

Many business leaders responded with caution and a willingness to engage. Bill Ackman, CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, had funded pro-Cuomo and anti-Mamdani efforts. He wrote on X “Congrats on the win. Now you have a big responsibility. If I can help NYC, just let me know what I can do.”

James Whelan, president of the Real Estate Board of New York, issued a statement of support. He said “We congratulate Mayor-elect Mamdani on his victory.” He added “REBNY is prepared to work with the next mayor to address the issue of housing affordability and other challenges facing our city.”

Andrew Yang, former presidential candidate and CEO of Noble Mobile, also weighed in. He wrote “Zohran Mamdani is the mayor-elect of New York City – and the hard part almost certainly lies ahead.”

Poll Promises

During the campaign, Mamdani focused on making New York a city where working families can afford to live. His central pledge was to freeze rents for residents in rent-stabilized apartments to protect tenants from sharp annual increases. He also promised to make public buses free for all riders, arguing that accessible and reliable public transport is a basic need, not a privilege.

Another key proposal was to introduce universal childcare across the city. Mamdani said this could be funded by applying a flat two percent tax on New York’s millionaires. He framed it as a fair contribution from the wealthiest New Yorkers to support working parents who struggle with the high cost of care.

Who is Zohran Mamdani

Zohran Mamdani is serving his third term in the New York State Assembly. Since 2021 he has represented the 36th District, which covers Astoria in Queens. Before winning office he worked as a housing counselor. Years earlier he also performed music under the stage name Cardamom and once joked that he was a C-list rapper.

He was born in Uganda and moved to New York at age seven. He became a United States citizen in 2018. His family has Indian roots. His mother is filmmaker Mira Nair. His father is Professor Mahmood Mamdani of Columbia University. Both parents studied at Harvard. He is married to Rama Duwaji, a Syrian artist who lives in Brooklyn.

What’s Next

Mamdani will take the oath of office on New Year’s Day and begin leading the nation’s financial capital. The mayor serves as New York City’s chief executive from City Hall and has authority across all five boroughs, which are Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. The job includes running a workforce of more than 300,000 people and managing a budget of more than 120 billion dollars.

Interestingly, there is a key limit on the office. The mayor cannot raise state taxes on his own and must work with the New York State Legislature in Albany to make major revenue changes. Winning support often requires outreach to lawmakers and the governor, even as the administration pursues actions it can take within city powers.

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