From rapping to running America’s biggest city, Zohran Mamdani has made history.
New York City has elected its first democratic socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani, who won over one million votes, the highest for any candidate since the 1960s. He defeated Andrew Cuomo, his main opponent, to become the first Muslim mayor of New York City.
With a population of about 8.5 million, New York’s political conversations have been buzzing about Mamdani’s victory and what it means for the city.
His vision for New York
Mamdani’s campaign promises include:
Free citywide bus services
Rent freezes
Universal childcare for children under 5
City-owned grocery stores
Higher taxes on large corporations and the wealthiest New Yorkers
His support base has grown rapidly over the past few months. Thousands of volunteers joined his campaign, and he built strong connections with New Yorkers both online and in person.
His strategy was simple: win the hearts of young people by meeting them where they are, on the streets, in clubs, and on social media.
A campaign full of energy
Mamdani became known for his vibrant and creative campaign. His ads went viral, from speaking in different Arabic dialects to producing an entire campaign video in Hindustani that celebrated South Asian pop culture.
One viral moment was his fiery debate with Andrew Cuomo, where his quick wit and confidence inspired countless remixes and TikTok sounds.
Just days before the election, Mamdani joined a lively bar crawl, starting at Poppy Juice, a queer Latino party in Brooklyn, and later showing up at an Afrobeat Caribbean event, where clips of him singing “Empire State of Mind” by Alicia Keys and Jay-Z flooded social media.
From rapper to mayor
Before entering politics, Mamdani performed as a rapper under the name MR Cardamom in Uganda.
Born in Kampala, Uganda, to filmmaker Mira Nair and Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani, Zohran Kwame Mamdani moved to New York City with his family at age 7 and became a naturalised American citizen in 2018.
Before his political career, he worked as a foreclosure prevention counsellor, helping low-income families in Queens avoid eviction. That experience motivated him to run for office. His middle name, Kwame, was given by his father in honour of Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president.
Political tension and reactions
Before the election, former President Donald Trump threatened to cut federal funding to New York City if Mamdani won. On his Truth Social account, Trump wrote:
After his victory was confirmed, Trump posted, “…AND SO IT BEGINS!”
In his victory speech, Mamdani fired back, telling supporters: “Turn the volume up.”
A new chapter for New York
On social media, especially TikTok, many New Yorkers have compared Mamdani’s rise in popularity to Barack Obama’s early days. Some even joked that they have a “political crush” on him.
Zohran Mamdani will officially assume office on January 1, 2026, marking the beginning of a new era in New York City politics.
