Zohran Mamdani, Mira Nair's son, leads race to become New York Mayor

In a stunning victory, Indian-American lawmaker Zohran Kwame Mamdani defeated former governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary race for New York City mayor. He was declared victorious in the Democratic mayoral primary Tuesday (June 24) night.

“In the words of Nelson Mandela: it always seems impossible until it’s done. My friends, it is done. And you are the ones who did it. I am honoured to be your Democratic nominee for the Mayor of New York City,” Mamdani said in a post on X.

The 33-year-old, a state assemblyman from Queens, secured 43.5 per cent votes, while Cuomo trailed behind with 36.3 per cent, according to the latest trends.

Also Read: Indian-origin Zohran Mamdani declares victory in NYC's Democratic mayoral primary

Early life and education

Mamdani was born on October 18, 1991, in Kampala, Uganda, to Professor Mahmood Mamdani, a widely respected political thinker, and Mira Nair, a renowned Indian-American filmmaker. He migrated to New York with his parents at the age of seven.

His mother is best known for films like Salaam Bombay, Monsoon Wedding, The Namesake, and Queen of Katwe. His father is a Uganda-born Indian scholar and has taught at several universities, such as Columbia University.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College in the state of Maine. Before joining politics, he worked as a counsellor who helped low-income homeowners fight off evictions, according to his official profile on the NY Assembly website.

The 33-year-old democratic socialist is married to Brooklyn-based Syrian-born illustrator Rama Duwaji.

Also Read: Indian-Americans win key city council seats in Texas

Entry into politics

Mamdani was elected to the State Assembly in 2021 to represent part of Queens. A representative in the New York State Assembly, Mamdani is a self-described “democratic socialist” and has presented himself as the choice of progressive and working-class voters.

A relatively unknown state legislator when the contest began, Mamdani gained momentum by running a sharp campaign laser-focused on the city's high cost of living and secured endorsements from two of the country's foremost progressives, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders.

He has described himself as President “Donald Trump’s worst nightmare” and has extensively criticised Israel’s war in Gaza. Mamdani, meanwhile, is backed by the Democratic Socialists of America -- a niche, leftist association.

Also Read: Indian-origin techie Vaniya Agrawal publicly slams Gates, Nadella over AI use in Gaza

People-centric policies

His campaign focused on affordability for the working class, with policies such as capping rent and the cost of groceries in one of the world’s most expensive cities. These policies, he said, will be funded by taxing the wealthiest 1% of New Yorkers — those earning above $1 million annually (around Rs 8.6 crore) — a flat 2% tax.

Promising fast, fare-free buses, he said that as Mayor, he will permanently eliminate the fare on every city bus – and make them faster by rapidly building priority lanes, expanding bus queue jump signals, and dedicated loading zones to keep double parkers out of the way.

Mamdani said he would also implement free childcare for every New Yorker aged 6 weeks to 5 years, ensuring high-quality programming for all families.

Mamdani has been an outspoken critic of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids seeking to deport illegal immigrants, which resulted in countrywide protests in recent weeks.

Cuomo's downfall

Former governor Andrew Cuomo, a crowd favourite until recent weeks, polled at 36.4% and conceded the race. He previously served as the governor of the state of New York — a position once held by his father.

He resigned in 2021 after multiple women accused him of sexual harassment. Staunchly pro-Israel Cuomo led in polls for most of the race with support from powerful centrist figures, including former president Bill Clinton and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg

Mamdani's upbeat campaign, built with youthful social media savvy and campaign promises to improve the city's affordability, appears to have resonated with voters.

Mamdani’s visibility has been credited to his on-ground volunteers, as well as the unique and approachable style of the well-edited short videos he has posted on social media platforms.

Also Read: US mom shares why her ‘kids will be better off in India’; post goes viral

What’s next?

If elected, Mamdani will be the city’s first Indian-American and first Muslim mayor. Notably, New York is home to the largest Jewish community in the world, outside Israel.

His victory will also signal greater acceptability among voters for progressive issues and socialist policies.

The results could help steer the future of the Democratic Party, which lost the 2024 US Presidential elections and saw the Republicans make inroads into its traditional voter base — women, non-White groups, and working-class voters.