Zohran Mamdani: Can the 33-year-old democratic socialist become NYC's next mayor?
The Brief
Zohran Mamdani was elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020.
Mamdani has a focus on rent freezes, free bus rides and no-cost childcare.
"Paying for this economic agenda and starting to Trump-proof our city is just a question of political will."
NEW YORK CITY - Democratic candidate and Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani is running to be the city's next mayor, aiming to succeed incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who's running for re-election as an Independent.
MORE: Meet the candidates running for NYC mayor: List
Mamdani, gaining a following in part for his snappy social media presence, has a focus on rent freezes, free bus rides and no-cost childcare, and is also advocating for housing affordability.
Dig deeper
The 33-year-old from Queens is a self-declared democratic socialist known for his activism, including leading a hunger strike alongside taxi drivers.
Since his election to the New York State Assembly in 2020, Mamdani introduced the REPAIR Act to end significant property tax exemptions for Columbia University and NYU, aiming to redirect funds to the City University of New York (CUNY).
According to his campaign website, Mamdani says he'll use "every tool available to bring down the rent, create world-class public transit, and make it easier to raise a family."
Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda and moved to New York City at age 7. According to the Associated Press, he became naturalized as an American citizen a few years after graduating from college, where he co-started his school's first Students for Justice in Palestine chapter. His mother, Mira Nair, is an award-winning filmmaker. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is an anthropology professor at Columbia University.
What they're saying
Mamdani says he's focused on housing and affordability for New Yorkers, based on his campaign website. His platform includes several key initiatives, including rent freezes, faster and fare-free buses and no-cost childcare. In an appearance on Good Day New York, Mamdani was asked: how can New York City afford it?
"Well, there's a very clear way we can do it: we can tax Andrew Cuomo's donors," Mamdani said. "The top 1% of New Yorkers, and the most profitable corporations. Ultimately, paying for this economic agenda and starting to Trump-proof our city is just a question of political will."
On the topic of public safety, Zohran said on his campaign website that he will "create the Department of Community Safety to prevent violence before it happens by prioritizing solutions which have been consistently shown to improve safety."
"I want to be very clear, I will not defund the police," Mamdani said. "I will sustain the current amount of police officers we have in our police department, and that's because I know police have a critical role to play in public safety."
For a closer look at Mamdani's stance on all issues, click HERE.
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