Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assemblymember and Democratic Socialist, is poised to win the Democratic nomination for New York City mayor after Andrew Cuomo conceded Tuesday night, June 24th. With 95% of precincts reporting, Mamdani held a lead of 43.5% in first-choice votes, followed by Cuomo at 36.4% and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander at 11.3%.
Although final results are still pending due to the city’s ranked-choice voting system, Cuomo acknowledged Mamdani’s apparent victory, saying the assemblymember “deserved it” and confirming he had already called to offer his congratulations.
Mamdani’s campaign focused on affordability, with proposals to freeze rent on stabilized apartments, make city buses free, and establish city-owned grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods. He gained momentum through a grassroots effort involving more than 50,000 volunteers and extensive social media outreach. His campaign received endorsements from progressive figures, including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders.
Cuomo entered the race with a high profile, substantial funding, and support from establishment figures, including former President Bill Clinton. Despite over $25 million in super PAC spending, including attack ads targeting Mamdani, Cuomo’s campaign failed to maintain its early polling lead. The former governor, who resigned in 2021 amid allegations of sexual harassment, had relied on his record during the COVID-19 pandemic and experience as a three-term governor.
Lander, who cross-endorsed Mamdani, is expected to help boost Mamdani’s final tally in the ranked-choice system. “Together, we are sending Andrew Cuomo back to the suburbs,” Lander remarked during his election night event.
Supporters of Mamdani celebrated the preliminary results as historic. “It is such a historic moment for us as Muslims, as South Asians, as immigrants, as New Yorkers,” noted Saman Waquad of the Muslim Democratic Club of New York.
Official certification of the election results is expected after absentee and affidavit ballots are counted. The New York City Board of Elections is scheduled to release a preliminary ranked-choice tabulation by July 1st.
Despite conceding the primary, Cuomo has filed to appear on the general election ballot as an independent candidate, as has incumbent Mayor Eric Adams.
