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Zohran Mamdani Wins New York Mayoral Primary

Zohran Mamdani Wins New York Mayoral Primary

UAE Moments6 hours ago

Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old state lawmaker, won New York City's Democratic mayoral primary after beating former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in a landslide with the first round of voting.
Mamdani announced the news in a tweet on X on Wednesday, June 25, saying, "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."
According to The Associated Press news agency, experts say that Mamdani will surpass the 50 percent threshold because of his strategic alliances with other candidates to support each other as a 'second place' candidate.
If Mamdani is elected as mayor, he would be the first of Asian heritage and the first Muslim mayor.
Mamdani is the son of the award-winning film director, Mira Nair, and the Columbia University professor, Mahmood Mamdani.
This article was previously published on kuwaitmoments. To see the original article, click here

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When news broke on Tuesday that former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, who was thought to be a favourite in the New York City mayoral primary, had conceded the race, the announcement was met with disbelief. The idea that an underdog pro-Palestinian Democratic Socialist state lawmaker had secured the Democratic nomination seemed too good to be true for Zohran Mamdani's supporters, after being smeared as an antisemite and "communist" by some of the most powerful politicians in the US. On Wednesday, after Mamdani's victory, US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social about the election, saying that "the Democrats have crossed the line. Zohran Mamdani, a 100% Communist Lunatics, has just won the Dem Primary, is on his way to becoming Mayor. We've had Radical Leftists before, but this is getting a little ridiculous". Naaila*, 33, a Mamdani supporter and physician assistant, had been curbing her hopes to avoid eventual disappointment. She attended a packed Democratic Socialists of America's (DSA) watch party at the Boyfriend Co-op in Bushwick, a neighbourhood in Brooklyn, where she said the news was met with both joy and disbelief. 'There was a rumour that Cuomo conceded. Everyone was frantically checking their phones. When the DSA organisers called it, I still didn't believe it. I was checking my phone to see for myself. Then the reality dissipated through the crowd. People started cheering and screaming,' Naaila told Middle East Eye. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters She said the victory brought her to tears and was particularly meaningful because of the current situation in Palestine and the fact that it was two decades on from 9/11. 'You have to question whether you are allowed to be vocally Muslim, immigrant and socialist in public, and can even be eligible for mayor. Everything about this race felt like a referendum on diversity, on people power against the billionaires and super PAC funding, and Islamophobia'. 'It makes me so proud to be an immigrant, a New Yorker, a Muslim, and to be in the Palestinian movement.' Despite resigning from politics in 2021 over allegations of sexually harassing women, Cuomo had been tipped to win the race. This was largely believed to be because of his name recognition - his father, Mario Cuomo, is also a former New York governor - and because he had the financial backing of the largest super PAC ever created in the NYC mayoral campaign, which raised $25m for him. Mamdani, on the other hand, was the underdog. A former housing counsellor and current state assemblyman, he ran a bold grassroots campaign premised on helping all New Yorkers with three central pledges: affordable housing through rent freezes and increasing rent-stabilised housing; free buses and free childcare. 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Nia*, a 22-year-old server from Prospect Heights, who voted for Mamdani, said, 'I am really proud of my city for pulling through. I think it was about time for us to vote for someone who actually cares about representing the city and people." Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani fends off hate as he inspires New Yorkers Read More » She believes Israel's war on Gaza is one of the reasons that led to his win, and said that Mamdani's responses in the mayoral debate and handling of questions on Israel and his commitment to standing with New Yorkers, including Jewish New Yorkers, made her want to stand with him. 'I think we're finally realising that the government is supposed to represent us, the people, and that we actually do have the power to change things. We just have to utilise the people and come together. I think this mayoral race showed us we can turn things around, and I hope after this, New York will.' Mawahib* is a first-generation Somali who also lives in Prospect Heights and voted for Mamdani. She said she voted for him because of his plans to freeze rent. She said that people who have lived in NYC for decades have been dealing with rent increases, and supporting communities is really important to her. She was with her flatmate on Wednesday night when the election results came through and said she was 'super hyped and elated' by the results. 'I was incredibly hopeful [Mamdani would win] because a lot of my friends who are transplants registered to vote, so I was really, really excited,' she added. The New York City general mayoral election is scheduled for 4 November, with the Democrats favoured to win. Incumbent mayor Eric Adams, who stood on a Democratic ticket, is due to stand as an Independent in the forthcoming election, but his popularity is at an all-time low. It is unclear whether Cuomo will run as an Independent.

Zohran Mamdani Wins New York Mayoral Primary
Zohran Mamdani Wins New York Mayoral Primary

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Zohran Mamdani Wins New York Mayoral Primary

Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old state lawmaker, won New York City's Democratic mayoral primary after beating former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in a landslide with the first round of voting. Mamdani announced the news in a tweet on X on Wednesday, June 25, saying, "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." According to The Associated Press news agency, experts say that Mamdani will surpass the 50 percent threshold because of his strategic alliances with other candidates to support each other as a 'second place' candidate. If Mamdani is elected as mayor, he would be the first of Asian heritage and the first Muslim mayor. Mamdani is the son of the award-winning film director, Mira Nair, and the Columbia University professor, Mahmood Mamdani. This article was previously published on kuwaitmoments. To see the original article, click here

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