On November 4, Zohran Kwame Mamdani is the mayor-elect of New York City defeating Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, with 50.4% of the vote.
A member of the Democratic Party and the Democratic Socialists of America, he has served as a member of the New York State Assembly from the 36th District since 2021, representing the Queens neighborhood of Astoria.
Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, to academic Mahmood Mamdani and filmmaker Mira Nair, both of Indian descent. He immigrated to Cape Town, South Africa, at the age of five and later to the United States at age seven, settling with his family in New York City.
Mamdani graduated from the Bronx High School of Science and earned a bachelor’s degree in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College in Maine in 2014.
Before entering elected office, he worked as a housing counselor and musician, and later became involved in local politics as a campaign manager for Khader El-Yateem and Ross Barkan.
In 2020, Mamdani was first elected to the New York State Assembly, defeating five-term incumbent Aravella Simotas in the Democratic primary. He was reelected unopposed in both 2022 and 2024.
In October 2024, Mamdani announced his candidacy for Mayor of New York City in the 2025 election. He won the Democratic primary in June 2025 in an upset victory over former governor Andrew Cuomo, and was later elected mayor in the November 4 general election, defeating Cuomo (running as an independent) and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, with 50.4% of the vote.
Mamdani campaigned on an affordability-focused platform, advocating for fare-free city buses, universal public childcare, city-owned grocery stores, a rent freeze on rent-stabilized units, expanded affordable housing, comprehensive public safety reform, and a $30 minimum wage by 2030.
He also supports tax increases on corporations and on individuals earning over $1 million annually.
Mamdani is the first Indian-American, first Ugandan-American, first Muslim, first millennial, and second Democratic Socialist to be elected Mayor of New York City, following David Dinkins.
He is expected to assume office on January 1, 2026.
