Zohran Mamdani just stunned New York City with a win in the mayoral primary. Here's a look at his New England ties.

Boston Globe

5 hours ago

He attended college in Maine
An empty Bowdoin College campus in Brunswick, Maine, on March 13, 2020.
Sarah Rice/The New York Times
Mamdani, a 33-year-old native of Uganda who moved to New York City with his family at the age of 7, received a bachelor's degree in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College in Maine, according to his campaign website.
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Mamdani published 32 articles in the Bowdoin Orient, the school's newspaper, between 2010 and 2014, according to the
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In one column from 2011, he reflected on taking in a women's lacrosse game on campus.
'My girl Jordan Smith '14, a proud representative of the Dirty Jersey, which we'll call her from here on, had persuaded a few of our floormates and me to get down to watch the team take on the University of Southern Maine (USM),' Mamdani
'To be honest, I didn't really want to go — I had a lot of procrastination to take care of — and I'd heard that men's lacrosse was more enjoyable. But Dirty Jersey just didn't give up, and I agreed to head over for the first half. Even though I didn't get to see my girl take the field, the game was awesome.
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'Before the game, lacrosse, for me, meant insane flow, Crack House, and Brantford Winstonworth. But now, I realize it's actually pretty fun to watch.'
In another column from 2013, he discussed thorny issues related to consent and bodily autonomy on the dance floor.
'There's nothing wrong with trying to hook up on the dance floor,'
Another 2013 column described a visit Mamdani had made to Egypt.
He wrote that he touched down 'before the onset of nationwide protests that were to depose President Mohammad Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood.'
'The Egyptian conflict is not one of two sides, instead it encompasses many: from
tamarod
(the group that organized the protests and reflects much of the Egyptian left's concerns) to the resurgent
feloul
(the remnants of former president Hosni Mubarak's regime), the ever-present army, and the
ikwhan
(Muslim Brotherhood), amongst others," Mamdani wrote. 'The confusion lies in that other than the
ikhwan
, these groups increasingly speak with one voice, and so give off the impression of a true political alliance. Yet their united front is built first and foremost on a rejection of the
ikhwan
, and so they are united only in opposition—a dangerous basis for any partnership.
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'But this is not just a 'made-in-Egypt' conflict. Among other backers, American taxpayers are continuing to fund the Egyptian army to the tune of $1.3 billion a year, and it was this army that I was now watching depose a president, becoming the de-facto head of a nation—not a democratic process as most Americans would see it."
He's inspired by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu during the first 2025 Boston mayoral debate at Suffolk University's Modern Theater on May 15.
Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
Mamdani has praised Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, a fellow progressive who has also championed causes like free public transportation and rent control, while locking down the backing of her city's crunchy cohort.
'I've shown myself adept at the skills required' to occupy the Five Boroughs' corner office,
He told the interviewer that Wu's free bus pilot program showed 'that dwell-time at bus stops can go down by 23 percent if you're using all-door boarding. We mandated the MTA [in NYC] to do it, for the pilot. I got on those buses on the first day. I got on them a few months after. I got on them towards the end. A lot of it was not all-door boarding. That's where I also think this can change.'
He scored key endorsements from Bernie Sanders and AOC
Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez acknowledge the cheering crowd during a "Fighting Oligarchy" event in Los Angeles on April 12.
Jae C. Hong/Associated Press
New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who
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On Tuesday night, AOC gave Mamdani a shout-out via X.
'Congratulations,
Congratulations,
Your dedication to an affordable, welcoming, and safe New York City where working families can have a shot has inspired people across the city.
Billionaires and lobbyists poured millions against you and our public finance system.
And you won.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC)
Travis Andersen can be reached at