New York state Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic nomination for the mayoral election in New York City on Tuesday night.
Despite being behind in almost every poll, Mamdani beat former New York governor and second-place nominee Andrew Cuomo by around seven points. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander came in third.
Mamdani’s election platform included endorsing “LGBTQIA+ protections,” “city-owned grocery stores,” and “Trump-proofing” New York City. Mamdani is also a Democratic Socialist and has worked on the campaigns of fellow socialists.
‘In the words of Nelson Mandela …’
Mamdani took to his X account after his victory and thanked his voters, quoting late activist and first president of South Africa Nelson Mandela.
“In the words of Nelson Mandela: it always seems impossible until it’s done,” Mamdani wrote. “My friends, it is done. And you are the ones who did it. I am honored to be your Democratic nominee for the Mayor of New York City,” the new Democratic candidate added.
During his acceptance speech, Mamdani told supporters, “Above all, our democracy has been attacked from within … and when we no longer believe in our democracy, it only becomes easier for people like Donald Trump to convince us of his worth.”
Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images
Governor Cuomo conceded just after 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time, saying Mamdani “touched young people, and inspired them, and moved them, and got them to come out and vote.”
“He really ran a highly impactful campaign,” Cuomo told supporters. “I applaud him sincerely for his effort.”
Cuomo served as governor for more than 10 years and was leading almost every major poll by double digits coming into the primary. On Election Day, the New York Times reported that of the 10 most recent polls conducted in June, Cuomo led nine of them, with his biggest lead at +19.
One poll from Public Policy Polling had Mamdani at +5, however.
Just days before the primary, Mamdani’s office told the New York Post he had received a car-bomb threat, despite not owning a car. Mamdani had allegedly received four voicemails in the last few months calling for his or his family’s death, with the latest reportedly calling him a “terrorist piece of s**t.”
Mamdani had blamed the right wing for a threatening message in which the caller said he was going to have the candidate “wash his European feet.”
RELATED: NYC comptroller locks arms with man to prevent ICE arrest: ‘Show me your warrant!’
Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images
New York City Comptroller Lander made his own last-minute headlines last week as well. Lander was arrested by federal agents after locking arms with a man facing deportation.
The comptroller yelled, “Show me your warrant! Show me your badge!” as agents attempted to pry him away from a man who had just left a Manhattan courtroom.
In a statement to Blaze News, Dept. of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Lander was arrested for “impeding a federal officer.”
Lander had claimed he was “not obstructing” and was simply “standing right here in the hallway.”
New York investigative reporter Oren Levy reacted to Mamdani’s victory, telling Blaze News, “Mamdani’s win tells you everything about where this city is heading — off a cliff.”
Levy continued, “He’s anti-Israel, a socialist, wants to replace cops with social workers … basically a checklist for the far-left agenda.”
Mamdani recently struggled to answer questions from reporters over criticisms that he supported the phrase “globalize the intifada.” After about 20 seconds trying to find his words, Mamdani told reporters that as mayor, he would do his best to eliminate anti-Semitism in New York City.
Reporter Levy has covered issues like crime and illegal immigration from the mayor’s office in the past few years and predicted “more crime” and “more chaos” under a potential Mamdani rule.
“It’s not over,” Levy added. “November’s coming. Let’s see if New Yorkers wake up by then.”
Mamdani still has to face off against Curtis Sliwa, the Guardian Angels founder who won the Republican primary unopposed, and Mayor Eric Adams, who announced in April that he will run as an independent in November’s election.
“Our city needs independent leadership that understands working people,” Adams wrote on X.
Adams has been mayor of New York City since January 1, 2022.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
