MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

New York City to have its first Muslim Mayor ever

Born in Uganda and of Indian origin, Mamdani ran on a platform promising to reduce the cost of living for ordinary New Yorkers

The Democrat Zohran Mamdani has been elected as the new Mayor of New York City, defeating independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Mamdani, 34, a socialist and open opponent of President Donald Trump, will be New York's youngest mayor since 1892 and its first Muslim mayor.

The Democrat/Socialist Mamdani got 50.5% of the vote with 80% of the polling stations counted, followed by Cuomo (Independent, 41.3%), and the Republican Curtis Sliwa's 7.3%.

Mamdani's victory came despite fierce attacks on his socialist policies and his Muslim heritage from President Donald Trump, business elites, and conservative media. Trump had called Mamdani a “communist” and an “enemy of the Jews,” even urging Jewish voters not to support him and threatening to cut federal funding to New York City if he won.

Born in Uganda and of Indian origin, Mamdani ran on a platform promising to reduce the cost of living for ordinary New Yorkers. In his victory speech, he emphasized that “New York will remain a city of immigrants,” a message widely seen as a direct rebuttal to Trump's anti-immigrant policies.

Trump acknowledged the Republican Party's defeat in the key local elections, including New York and the gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia. He claimed those losses were due to his name not being on the ballots and the federal government shutdown.

In Virginia, the Democrat Abigail Spanberger will become the first female governor, ending four years of Republican rule, whereas Mikie Sherrill's victory in New Jersey kept the Democrats in control of that State.