The Democratic Party candidate for mayor of New York City has vowed to protect trans healthcare in the Big Apple.

Zohran Mamdani sent shockwaves through the establishment when he beat political veteran Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic Party primary on Tuesday night (24 June).

In his victory speech, after former state governor Cuomo conceded defeat, Mamdani, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, said: “Tonight, we made history.” If elected, he would be the first Muslim and Indian American to lead the nation’s largest city.

A staunch progressive in every sense of the word, Mamdani ran on promises to improve economic and social welfare for the working class, tackle the cost of living by bringing down rent, and to help tackle climate change.

He is also a supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, especially those of transgender men and women, and has highlighted the discrimination they face in the US.

After 93 per cent of the votes were counted, Mamdani declared victory with 43.5 per cent, compared with Cuomo’s 36.4 per cent. He did particularly well in the borough of Brooklyn, as well as in Queens and Manhattan, according to figures in The New York Times.

Zahron Mamdani(R) is on course to become mayor of NYC. (Getty)

Conceding the race, Cuomo described his rival as “really smart” and commended his “good and impactful campaign”, adding: “Tonight is his night. He deserved it. He won.”

Mamdani’s shock rise – Cuomo had consistently been ahead in the polls – was also commended by Brad Lander, a fellow progressive candidate who came third with 11.4 per cent of the vote.

In May, following a visit to the Trans Community Town Hall, Mamdani pledged to make New York a “sanctuary city” for LGBTQ+ people.

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Zahron Mamdani would be the city’s first Muslim mayor. (Getty)

“Queer and trans people across the United States are facing an increasingly hostile political environment,” he wrote on Facebook. “New York City must be a refuge for LGBTQIA+ people but private institutions in our city have already started capitulating to [Donald Trump’s] assault on trans rights.”

Mamdani acknowledged that economic issues, such as the cost-of-living crisis, had hit the LGBTQ+ community “particularly hard,” and plans to tackle the higher rates of unemployment and homelessness the community faces.

He also vowed to expand and protect gender-affirming care, and ensure that “every New Yorker has access to the medical treatment they need”, promising to plow $65 million (more than £47 million) into public trans healthcare.

“With Trump threatening our city’s LGBTQ+ community every day, New Yorkers need a mayor unafraid to stand up for them,” he said.

He now faces Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, unpopular incumbent former Democrat Eric Adams, who is now running as an independent, and another independent Jim Walden, in November.

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Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist, has caused a major political upset in the US, as he is poised to become the Democratic candidate for November’s mayoral election in New York.

After the first round of counting in the Democrat primary, Mamdani convincingly led against his rivals, including the former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Boosted by strong grassroots support, the relative political novice gained 43% of the vote, compared with Cuomo’s 36%.

Although the final results of the ranked-choice count will not be known until Tuesday, Cuomo conceded to Mamdani, saying he would consider running as an independent candidate.

“Tonight is his night. He deserved it. He won,” Cuomo said of Mamdani.

Meanwhile, Mamdani, speaking from a rooftop in Queens early on Wednesday morning, promised to “be the mayor for every New Yorker” if elected.

As he had done throughout his campaign, the 33-year-old promised to support the city’s working class.

Democratic mayoral candidates Andrew Cuomo (left) and Zohran Mamdani (centre) shake hands after a debate on 4 June, 2025. (Democratic mayoral candidates Andrew Cuomo (left) and Zohran Mamdani (centre) shake hands after a debate on 4 June, 2025.)

“A life of dignity should not be reserved for a fortunate few,” he said. “It should be one that city government guarantees for each and every New Yorker.”

Mamdani also reiterated pledges to make buses free and to freeze rent for stabilised tenants.

The millennial candidate’s political rise has been extraordinary. But who is he and how has catapulted himself to the top of a packed Democratic mayoral field?

Rapid political ascent

Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and came to New York when he was seven, gained US citizenship in 2018. His mother is a film director, while his father is a professor at Columbia University.

After studying for a degree in Africana Studies at Bowdoin College in Maine, Mamdani worked as a housing counsellor in Queens, supporting low-income homeowners of colour in their fight against eviction.

It was this job that made him want to go into politics, he said.

The democratic socialist, who used to make rap music under the name Mr Cardamom, achieved his first political break when was voted into the state assembly in 2020 to represent neighbourhoods in Queens, including Astoria Heights.

In his years at the state legislature in Albany, only three of the bills Mamdani has introduced have become law, leading to criticism from his detractors.

Cuomo, his Democratic challenger, was among those who took aim at Mamdani’s lack of experience.

“He’s never dealt with the City Council. He’s never dealt with the Congress,” said Cuomo, who resigned as New York governor in August 2021 after a sexual harassment scandal.

“He’s never negotiated with a union. He’s never built anything. He’s never dealt with a natural emergency. He’s never dealt with a hurricane, with a flood, et cetera. He’s never done any of the essentials. And now you have Donald Trump on top of all of that,” Cuomo added.

How has he become so popular?

Mamdani’s promises to help working class New Yorkers have really struck a chord, even if critics claim they are unfeasible.

They include proposals to provide public child care for children under six, to raise the minimum wage and to increase taxes on the wealthy.

After declaring his candidacy last autumn, Mamdani has gained a large following on social media.

Related Zohran Mamdani scores surprise win in NYC mayoral primary after Cuomo concedes

In one video, he is seen jumping into the Atlantic in a suit before “plunging” into the details of his proposed rent freeze in New York.

Another campaign stunt was his walk across the length of Manhattan last week, which gave New Yorkers the opportunity to take photos with him.

On Tuesday, the 33-year-old used a video with the actress and model Emily Ratajkowski to encourage people to go out to vote for him.

Big name supporters

Mamdani has the backing of well-known national politicians such as the Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and the New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, both of whom are also democratic socialists.

After his victory, Ocasio-Cortez took to X to congratulate him.

Supporters of Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani cheer as they watch results come in at his primary election party, Tuesday, 24 June 2025 in New York. (Supporters of Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani cheer as they watch results come in at his primary election party, Tuesday, 24 June 2025 in New York.)

“Your dedication to an affordable, welcoming, and safe New York City where working families can have a shot has inspired people across the city,” she wrote.

Sanders also praised Mamdani “and his thousands of grassroots supporters for their extraordinary campaign.”

If Mamdani wins the November election – against challengers including the scandal-hit incumbent Mayor Eric Adams who will run as an independent candidate – he will become the youngest New York mayor since 1917.

He would also become its first Muslim mayor.

Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani is on track to secure the Democratic nomination for mayor, after former Gov. Andrew Cuomo conceded to him Tuesday night following the first round of ranked-choice primary votes.

Report by Samantha Maldonado and Katie Honan Ths story was first published by THE CITY on Jun 24 9:45pm EDT (Updated June 25, 2025, 7:45pm)

Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani addresses supporters in Long Island City after his stunning win in the Democratic mayoral primary, June 24, 2025. Credit: Alex Krales/THE CITY

With 95% of precincts reporting two hours after polls closed at 9 p.m., 44% ranked Mamdani as their first choice while 36% chose Cuomo first and 11% had city Comptroller Brad Lander.

Mamdani emerged to raucus applause at his election party on a brewery rooftop in Long Island City, about 20 minutes after midnight.

“Today, eight months after launching this campaign with the vision of a city that every New Yorker could afford, we have won,” he said. “I will be the mayor for every New Yorker, whether you voted for me, for Gov. Cuomo or felt too disillusioned by a long, broken political system to vote at all. I will fight for a city that works for you, that is affordable for you, that is safe for you.” Zohran Mamdani supporters at a Long Island City rooftop bar were delirious after his commanding win in the Democratic mayoral primary, June 24, 2025. Credit: Alex Krales/THE CITY

In this ranked-choice primary election, Lander cross-endorsed Mamdani as his number-two pick, meaning that many voters who selected Lander are likely to send additional votes to Mamdani in the final tally.

“Together, we are sending Andrew Cuomo back to the suburbs,” Lander cheered at his election night party.

Cuomo has already petitioned to be on the general election ballot in November, running on an independent line, as has incumbent mayor Eric Adams.

Inside the sprawling, bright-white Carpenters Union headquarters on the west side of Manhattan, Cuomo appeared on stage without notice.

“I want to applaud the Assemblyman for a really smart and good and impactful campaign. Tonight was his night. He deserved it. He won,” Cuomo said, flanked by his three daughters and his son-in-law. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo congratulates rival Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani after finishing second in the first round of voting in the Democratic mayoral primary, June 24, 2025. Credit: Katie Honan/THE CITY

He added that he’d already called Mamdani to congratulate him.

Official, full results from all the rounds won’t be available until mid-July.

Mamdani began primary day with a 5:40 a.m. press conference in Astoria Park, before meeting with voters in Jackson Heights.

“We are approaching the dawn of a new era in New York City,” Mamdani said. “We are turning the page on the corrupt politics of the past that made this the most expensive city in the United States of America.”

As the results trickled in in the evening, his key supporters gathered at a brewery in Long Island City while a majority of his canvassers were spread out elsewhere, at watch parties hosted by other organizations.

The mood was celebratory and supporters reveled in the news.

“I am in a little bit of a state of disbelief,” said Gabbi Zutrau, who worked on social media strategy for the campaign.

“It is such a historic moment for us as Muslims, as South Asians, as immigrants, as New Yorkers,” said Saman Waquad, president of the Muslim Democratic Club of New York. “The way Zohran has brought people together in this campaign has been so incredibly beautiful.”

Janos Marton, a one-time candidate for Manhattan district attorney who canvassed for Mamdani, said, “It was clear that he was bringing new people in — South Asians, Muslims, young people — and that was true on Staten Island, where I live, and I guess it was across the city too.”

Other candidates significantly lagged in the first-round results. Former Comptroller Scott Stringer conceded shortly after polls closed, while City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams received about 4% of the vote.

Zellnor Myrie, Michael Blake, Whitney Tilson, Jessica Ramos, Paperboy Prince and Selma Bartholomew each received less than 1% of the vote.

In other citywide races, incumbent Public Advocate Jumaane Williams defended his seat against Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. In the race for city comptroller, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine maintained a significant lead over Brooklyn Councilmember Justin Brannan, who conceded the race late Tuesday evening.

Tuesday night’s results only included votes made in person at polling sites, plus any early mail or absentee ballots that the election board received and scanned by Jun. 20. The BOE processes affidavit ballots after polls close.

The official winners of the primary won’t be known until at least July 1, when the Board of Elections will release a preliminary tabulation of ranked choice ballots — which will run through every ranked-choice decision on the more than 900,000 ballots cast in the Democratic and Republican primaries. Official certified results will follow.

One reason for the built-in delay: the board returns absentee ballots with minor errors to voters so that they can fix any issues such as unsigned envelopes. Voters must send those absentee ballots back by July 14 in order for them to be included in the official count.

Remarkable Rebuke

The early upset in the mayoral race was remarkable.

The 33-year-old Democratic socialist rallied new and young voters to his cause and launched a ground game that outmatched the field. He took the lead against the 67-year-old former governor, who resigned in disgrace after multiple accusations of sexual harassment yet enjoyed outsize name recognition and more than triple the money spent on his behalf.

Cuomo emerged as an early frontrunner despite his Rose Garden campaign strategy and not having lived in New York City in decades. His campaign paid canvassers to fan across the city, while an independent expenditure group, Fix the City, amassed more than $25 million to unleash a barrage of attacks on Mamdani.

Cuomo consistently cast himself as an experienced leader best poised to fight against the Trump administration and correct what he described as a city in crisis.

Mamdani, who is in his third terms in the state Assembly, spread his message through infectious social media posts and an army of 50,000 volunteers who the campaign said knocked on a million doors across the city.

Among his promises: to make buses free, freeze rent on stabilized apartments and create city-run grocery stores in food deserts.

Mamdani and Lander formally co-endorsed one another as a strategy to leverage the ranked-choice primary — even appearing together on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Monday night.

Lander, though trailing behind Mamdani and Cuomo, saw his profile rise after ICE officers arrested him last week while he was escorting immigrants leaving routine hearings at federal court.

The Working Families Party had endorsed a Democratic slate with Mamdani and Lander at the top.

Their third candidate, Adrienne Adams, addressed supporters in Southeast Queens Tuesday night, saying: “We made people stand up and take note who this campaign was and why we were here and made people realize there really is somebody in this race that really does care about me.”

Other Contests

Brooklyn, Manhattan and The Bronx saw competitive races for the role of Borough President.

Incumbent Vanessa Gibson defeated City Councilmember Rafael Salamanca, who is term limited, while in Brooklyn, incumbent Borough President Antonio Reynoso also held on to his seat, heading off challenger Khari Edwards, an executive at a cannabis company.

In the race for Manhattan Borough President state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal came out on top against Councilmember Keith Powers.

Both Brooklyn and Manhattan also had races for district attorney, with incumbents Alvin Bragg and Eric Gonzalez easily fending off challengers. Since the top prosecutors serve within the state court system, these races were not ranked choice.

All 51 City Council seats were up for grabs, with several facing competitive primaries. In Brooklyn, incumbent Councilmember Shahana Hanif held off Maya Kornberg, a researcher at the Brennan Center, and Councilmember Alexa Aviles defeated Ling Ye, who’d worked for Reps. Dan Goldman and Nydia Velazquez.

In Manhattan, incumbent Councilmember Chris Marte was leading over his challengers Elizabeth Lewinsohn, a former NYPD policy chief who self-funded her campaign, and lawyer Jess Coleman.

In The Bronx, Councilmember Pierina Sanchez trounced Fernando Cabrera, who was hoping to get his former Council seat back.

Additional reporting by Gwynne Hogan and Rosalind Adams.

Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist who ran a grassroots campaign that inspired younger voters through a relentless focus on making New York City more affordable, was set to win the Democratic primary for mayor Tuesday, toppling former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and nine other candidates in a political earthquake that will reverberate throughout the country. With 93% of scanners reporting, Mamdani, a state assemblymember from Queens, garnered 44% of ballots to Cuomo’s 36% in the first round of counting in the ranked-choice vote, all but guaranteeing a major upset of the Democratic Party establishment in the nation’s most populous city. Without a majority of votes, the contest will technically be decided by the ranked-choice tally on July 1. But Cuomo, apparently anticipating the outcome, conceded the primary race, telling his supporters at a somber rally that he’d called Mamdani to congratulate him on his victory. Mamdani declared victory just after midnight, taking to the stage at his Long Island City watch party as a raucous crowd of supporters chanted his name. “Tonight, we made history,” he said. “In the words of Nelson Mandela: ‘It always seems impossible until it is done.’” Assuming Mamdani pulls off the win, it will set up a November showdown with current Mayor Eric Adams, who declined to run in the Democratic primary and is instead running on an independent line in the general election. The most left-leaning candidate in a crowded Democratic field, Mamdani relentlessly campaigned on raising taxes on the city’s billionaires to fund initiatives like free MTA buses. While his rivals pledged to hire more NYPD police officers, Mamdani said he would instead expand mental health outreach teams to improve the social safety net. Mamdani was also more critical of Israel than other candidates, prompting some to accuse him of fueling antisemitism, which the candidate denied. Mamdani supporters — including Ella Emhoff and actors Cynthia Nixon and Kal Penn — gathered at Greats of Craft, a beer garden in Long Island City, to watch the results come in. As the returns began to show Mamdani with a significant lead, members of the crowd started chattering — some in disbelief, others euphoric.

Andrew Cuomo cast his ballot in Midtown on Tuesday. Andres Kudacki/Getty Images

“This is an amazing victory,” said Nixon, who ran against Cuomo in a 2018 primary for governor. “I believe there is a candidate like Zohran once in a generation.” Cuomo’s supporters, meanwhile, watched in disappointment as Cuomo threw in the towel at the Carpenter Union Hall on the western edge of SoHo. “He won,” Cuomo told them. “Tonight was not our night. Tonight was Assemblyman Mamdani’s night, and he put together a great campaign and he touched young people and inspired them and got them to come out and vote.” The official winner will depend on the additional rounds of counting, which will redistribute votes from losing candidates as they are eliminated. The candidate coming in third place in the unofficial results, Comptroller Brad Lander, cross-endorsed Mamdani, further bolstering Mamdani’s position heading into the ranked choice tally next week. The winner of that tally – also known as an “instant runoff” – will become the front-runner in a November election. In a statement, Cuomo left open the possibility he wouldn’t abandon the race for mayor. The former governor has already qualified for the November election on an independent line he created called Fight and Deliver, but he didn’t say whether he would actively campaign. “I want to look at all the numbers as they come in and analyze the rank choice voting. I will then consult with my colleagues on what is the best path for me to help the City of New York, as I have already qualified to run for mayor on an independent line in November,” Cuomo said.

Zohran Mamdani entered the race for mayor as a relative unknown. Patrick Dodson / New York Public News Network

The primary race pitted a member of a New York political dynasty seeking to rehabilitate his image against a socialist upstart half his age, highlighting the political and generational divides within the Democratic Party in New York City and the nation. Cuomo, 67, sought to resurrect a political career that came to an abrupt halt in 2021 when he resigned as governor amid a sexual-harassment scandal after more than a decade in office. He entered the race as the prohibitive favorite with the highest name recognition in a field of lesser-known candidates. The former governor ran a campaign that emphasized his experience and competence, piling up endorsements from labor unions and centrist Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton. Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg also endorsed the former governor and pumped more than $8 million into Fix The City, a super PAC that raised over $24 million and blanketed the airwaves with pro-Cuomo and anti-Mamdani ads. Cuomo argued his political know-how made him the best candidate to restore order to New York City and stand up to President Donald Trump. But he carried significant political baggage: the sexual misconduct scandal, questions about his management of the COVID-19 pandemic, and state budget decisions that hurt the city. Mamdani launched his campaign in October as a relative unknown. He is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America who has promised to freeze rent prices in rent-regulated apartments, eliminate the fare for city buses, raise taxes on the rich and open city-owned grocery stores. A state lawmaker with a relatively thin legislative record since taking office in 2021, he was endorsed by many of the biggest names on the left, including U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders from Vermont. Public polling in recent weeks showed Mamdani’s support skyrocketing as Cuomo’s remained stagnant. Early voting saw record turnout, fueled by young voters. Nearly a quarter of early voters had not voted in a Democratic primary at any point between 2012 and 2024.

Comptroller and candidate for mayor Brad Lander spoke with voters near Atlantic Terminal. He was joined by Council member Chi Osse. Liam Quigley

The assemblymember’s campaign amounted to a rejection of the centrist brand of politics that defined Cuomo’s career. By extension, Mamdani’s candidacy also amounted to a rejection of the Democratic Party establishment, which is still reeling from Trump’s return to the White House. The charismatic candidate said his campaign had nearly 50,000 unpaid volunteers who had knocked on more than 1 million doors. He performed particularly well in Brooklyn, besting Cuomo by 17 percentage points. “I was amazed, honestly,” said Mamdani volunteer Batul Hassan, 31. “This is what an election should look like in a real democracy.” Hassan continued, “People were so happy. It’s such a relief to see it’s possible to win against the billionaires and the corporations who spent so much against us.” In his victory speech, Mamdani promised to “govern our city as a model for the Democratic Party.” “A life of dignity should not be reserved for a fortunate few; it should be one that is guaranteed for each and every New Yorker,” Mamdani said. “If this campaign has demonstrated anything to the world, it’s that our dreams can become reality.” If elected in November, Mamdani would be the first Muslim and Asian American mayor. Both Cuomo and Mamdani forged alliances with competing candidates in the closing weeks of the ranked-choice campaign. The most consequential partnership was between Mamdani and City Comptroller Brad Lander, another mayoral candidate seeking votes from the left flank of the party. The two men cross-endorsed each other just before the start of the early-voting period, encouraging their supporters to rank the other candidate second.

Mamdani supporters were ecstatic at his campaign party at a Long Island City brewery. Elizabeth Kim