Zohran Mamdani's NYC primary win inspires Muslim Americans nationwide

Yahoo

25-06-2025

When Zohran Mamdani won New York City's Democratic primary on Tuesday night, celebrations rang out well past the borders of the city's five boroughs.
For Muslim Americans across the country, his victory was a historic moment — one that cast a sharp rebuke toward Islamophobia as Mamdani, who is Muslim, positioned himself as the favorite for the city's general election in November.
Mussab Ali, who is running for mayor in Jersey City, described tearing up while seeing the results of the primary at a watch party for Mamdani in Manhattan.
'To me, it feels kind of emotional to see somebody who looks just like me, who embodies so much of my politics to win at one of the largest stages,' said Ali, 28, a former board of education president who also is Muslim.
The win was even more remarkable, said Ali, given the $25 million spent by former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and his supporters that included 'Islamophobic attacks.' Cuomo conceded in the primary race to Mamdani shortly after polls closed.
'As Muslims, we are so used to being attacked for our faith,' Ali said. 'I think people saw through these attacks and that was so empowering for me.
'We have been taught that our identity, politically, is a weakness. You should not embrace your Muslimness. You should be careful about the length of your beard. You should be careful about having a beard at all if you want to be in the political arena.
If he wins the general election in November, Mamdani will be the first South Asian, African-born, Muslim and democratic socialist to govern America's largest city. The 33-year-old Mamdani garnered support from a diverse coalition, including many young voters, in a remarkable upset win.
For many Muslim Americans, a day like the June 25 primary election in New York City was hard to imagine just two decades ago, as Islamophobia flared in the wake of 9/11. It was a sign, they said, that Muslims could rise in politics even if they spoke about their faith and publicly defended the rights of Palestinians.
'What Mamdani did last night is he demonstrated it does not matter what you look like or what faith you practice. You can win at the highest levels of government.'
In the years since 9/11, Muslim Americans have made a strong and concerted effort to get more involved in politics and civic affairs. Many have won elected office across the United States, especially in New Jersey.
Forid Uddin, a member of the Paterson City Council, is among a crop of new Muslim leaders. As polls in New York City closed, Uddin wrote about Mamdani's win online as a 'groundbreaking victory.'
'Through inclusive leadership and a deep commitment to change, Zohran has shown the power of unity and purpose in shaping a better future,' wrote Uddin. 'This moment is more than a victory, it's a powerful reminder that representation matters, and that communities often overlooked have the strength to lead and transform our cities.'
Omar Mohammedi, an attorney from Far Hills, said it was a 'dream that came true.'
His own path was not easy, he said. When he was appointed as a Commissioner of Human Rights in New York City in 2002, he said, he faced smears and death threats due his Muslim faith and Arab heritage.
'I'm so proud of our community to persevere to get where it is now and I hope for more success despite the prejudice, the disgusting bigotry that our community has been facing for decades,' Mohammedi wrote online.
'We pray for a better future for Zohran Mamdani to serve the melting pot in NYC, to be a beacon for justice, for human rights and to protect people's civil rights and uphold the constitution.'
Mamdani won in a city with many progressive voters, who connected with his vibrant grassroots organizing, savvy social media campaign and his message of making the city more affordable.
But Muslims also recognized that their struggles persist, noting continued faith-based attacks against elected officials and candidates.
Sadaf Jaffer, one of the first two Muslims elected to the New Jersey State Legislature, both women, declined to seek reelection in 2023. Jaffer said she had faced harassment both online and in opponents' attack ads because of her religious background and did not want to put her family though another ugly election cycle.
Respected New Jersey litigator Adeel Mangi faced an Islamophobic line of questioning by lawmakers — including whether he condemned terrorism and if he celebrated 9/11 — when he was nominated to serve as United States circuit judge. A right-wing organization even aired television ads saying Mangi was a 'radical' and an 'antisemite' while showing footage of the 9/11 attacks.
Mangi, who would have been the first Muslim American to sit on a federal appeals court, was eventually left out of a bipartisan deal for judgeships.
Along the campaign trail, Mamdani was questioned about whether he would visit Israel and whether Israel should exist as Jewish state. Some accused him of antisemitism, which he had denounced, over his past advocacy for Palestinians.
But those accusations did not hobble his campaign in a city with the largest Jewish population outside Tel Aviv. Mamdani also was cross endorsed by Comptroller Brad Lander, a Jewish candidate who also ran in the Democratic primary.
Mamdani's views marked a break with the Democratic establishment on Israel, but aligned with views of many voters. With Israel's far-right leadership and continued military campaign in Gaza, most Democrats now report holding unfavorable opinions of Israel, according to Pew and Gallup surveys.
The outcome of the Democratic primary won't be official until a runoff is conducted with ballots that rank up to five choices is announced in July. But it positions Mamdani as a favorite in the general election, when he runs against Republican Curtis Silwa and the scandal-plagued incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who dropped out of the primary to run as an independent in the general election.
Abed Awad, an attorney from Wayne, celebrated the outcome of the primary, calling it 'an amazing night" that will inspire other Muslim Americans to get engaged."
"Mamdani is proof that Democrats are longing for a principled candidate," Awad wrote online. "Mamdani represents the future of the Democratic Party. Change is coming!"
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Zohran Mamdani's NYC primary win inspires Muslim Americans