In just two weeks, on June 24, Democratic Party voters in New York City will choose their candidate for mayor of one of America’s largest cities. Democrats will have the opportunity to vote for one of nine candidates, with former New York state governor Andrew Cuomo currently the frontrunner, supported by 40 percent of the party’s voters in recent polls.
However, the individual who might be considered the campaign’s biggest breakout success is Zohran Mamdani, a representative in the New York State Assembly.
A Progressive Voice Gaining Traction
Mamdani represents the progressive “Democratic Socialists” group, which is led nationally by Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Mamdani is an immigrant, born in Uganda, who moved to the U.S. in 1998 at the age of seven, having also lived in South Africa.
He became a TikTok sensation during the primary campaign when he, uniquely among the Democratic candidates, stated that his first trip outside New York City, if elected mayor, would not be to Israel. Following numerous questions from a moderator implying he “does not support the state of Israel,” Mamdani’s responses, emphasizing his commitment to “serving the citizens of New York,” won over the public, especially young people.
Mamdani has leveraged his popularity on social media for his campaign, highlighting that he is not supported by large donors and finances his campaign with an average donation of just $80. This positions him as an anti-thesis to Cuomo, who is backed by wealthy donors. Mamdani’s biggest opponent often points out that Cuomo is “supported by the same billionaires who financed Donald Trump’s campaign.”
“Trump’s Worst Nightmare” and a Potential Runoff
Mamdani had another viral moment when he was dubbed “Trump’s Worst Nightmare” because he is “a progressive Muslim immigrant who truly fights for what he believes in.” With his progressive ideas, Mamdani was initially considered an absolute “outsider.” However, according to polls, he is now the second favorite after the former New York governor, who left office due to a sexual harassment scandal.
Although Cuomo was expected to win with over 50 percent of the votes and thus avoid a second round, Mamdani’s “meteoric” rise in the polls suggests that the Democratic primary will likely go to a second round of voting, where Mamdani sees his chance.
Whoever is chosen will face current Mayor Eric Adams, who was once a Democrat but is now running as an independent, as well as Curtis Sliwa, the Republican Party candidate.
While it is difficult to predict what will happen on June 24 when Democratic voters head to the first round of voting, it is clear that Mamdani, at 33 years old, can build a significant future political career from this campaign.
