Latest news with #MuslimMayor
Al Jazeera
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Zohran Mamdani claims victory in NYC Democratic mayoral primary
Zohran Mamdani claims victory in NYC Democratic mayoral primary NewsFeed Video shows Zohran Mamdani declaring victory in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary after Andrew Cuomo conceded. The 33-year-old democratic socialist would become the city's first Muslim and Indian American mayor if elected. Video Duration 01 minutes 26 seconds 01:26 Video Duration 00 minutes 50 seconds 00:50 Video Duration 02 minutes 18 seconds 02:18 Video Duration 01 minutes 59 seconds 01:59 Video Duration 00 minutes 40 seconds 00:40 Video Duration 00 minutes 54 seconds 00:54 Video Duration 02 minutes 37 seconds 02:37
Times
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Times
Socialist Zohran Mamdani set to win New York mayoral primary in shock result
A young socialist who was barely known to most of his fellow New Yorkers a year ago is now poised to become the Democratic candidate for mayor after scoring an extraordinary victory in the first stage of the party's primary. Zohran Mamdani, 33, had gained nearly 44 per cent in the primary race with 80 per cent of the vote counted on Tuesday night. He was congratulated by Andrew Cuomo, the former state governor who had long been regarded as the overwhelming favourite. 'Tonight was not our night,' Cuomo told his supporters. He said it belonged to the young state assemblyman from Queens. 'I want to applaud the assemblyman for a really smart and great and impactful campaign,' he said. 'He deserved it. He won.' • NYC mayor elections 2025 explained: candidates, dates and more Mamdani, who would be New York's first Muslim mayor, looked likely to fall short of a full majority in the first round. New York has ranked-choice voting, in which voters can rank up to five candidates in order of preference. After the first round, the candidate with the fewest votes is ejected and their voters are then apportioned to whoever they have listed second, or third, or fourth or fifth, depending on how many rounds it takes to decide the race. But Mamdani had struck co-operation agreements with two other liberal candidates, each encouraging their supporters to back the other, in an effort to beat Cuomo. A poll on the eve of the race showed Cuomo leading in the first round but being beaten by Mamdani in the final round. Instead, as the results came in on Tuesday night, Mamdani was already in the lead. • NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is poster child for 'luxury beliefs' Mamdami was born in Uganda and grew up on New York's Upper West Side, the son of a film-maker and a professor of post-colonial studies at Columbia University. He became a US citizen in 2018, and ran for the state assembly in 2020. Then, last October, he announced what looked like a quixotic campaign for mayor. He was a Democratic Socialist who had accused Israel of genocide and he wanted to give the city free universal childcare, free buses and a rent freeze. He promoted these planks of his campaign in catchy social media videos. On New Year's Day, he jumped into the sea in his suit, shouting: 'I'm freezing … your rent.' Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. Though he gathered a steadily growing and enthusiastic following, it was generally presumed that he would be no match for Cuomo. It was true that the former governor, who is 67, had resigned in the wake of sexual harassment allegations. But after he announced a comeback in March as a Democratic candidate for mayor, positioning himself as a moderate, with governing experience, who would stand up to President Trump while bringing order to a disordered metropolis. His name recognition in New York, and lingering admiration for his governing record in parts of the city vaulted him to the top of a crowded field, supported by a richly funded super PAC whose donors included the former mayor Michael Bloomberg. • How to win a New York mayor debate: be the most annoying But in the final phase of the race, the polls suggested that Mamdani was catching up, with an impressive ground campaign. While Bill Clinton campaigned for Cuomo, Mamdani received endorsements from the American comedian Bowen Yang, from Bernie Sanders and from the model and actress Emily Ratajkowski. 'This is not just about New York, this is about the Democratic Party,' Ratajkowski said, in a video she shot with Mamdani. 'It's about the hope that we have that there is a belief that people can win elections, and not just money.' Cuomo, on a call with a union that was supporting his candidacy the night before election day, said the polls showed him still ahead. But he added: 'Our vote doesn't tend to come out until election day, and the problem is, election day's tomorrow and it's supposed to be 100F. So we have to make sure we get people out.' The day of the primary proved the hottest since 2012, but turnout was strong. One mischievous voter on the Upper East Side said he planned to write his own name as choice number one, number two, number three, number four and number five. This was Eric Adams, the current mayor, who won the last Democratic mayoral primary in 2021 and might, ordinarily, have expected to sail unencumbered to a second term. But Adams lost support in his own party, spectacularly, amid suspicions that he was seeking to co-operate with the Trump administration so that the US Department of Justice would, in turn, drop the federal corruption charges he was facing. 'Everything here smacks of a bargain,' wrote Judge Dale Ho in a ruling allowing the case to be dismissed. '(D)ismissal of the Indictment in exchange for immigration policy concessions.' Adams plans to run as an independent and is expected to court Republicans, whose candidate, Curtis Sliwa, was running unopposed. The mayor apparently hopes that conservatives and moderates, anxious at the prospect of a Democratic Socialist in City Hall, might join ranks behind him. But he looks likely to face competition from Cuomo, who could decide to run as an independent, if Mamdani's primary victory is confirmed, setting up would could be a more competitive election in November. In a statement on Tuesday night, Cuomo said: 'I want to look at all the numbers as they come in and analyse 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.'
UAE Moments
21 hours ago
- Politics
- UAE Moments
New York City Nears Milestone: First Muslim Mayor Possible
New York City is holding a major Democratic primary today that could reshape its political future—voters may move one step closer to electing the city's first-ever Muslim mayor. The two frontrunners are former governor Andrew Cuomo, making a comeback bid, and Zohran Mamdani, a state assembly member and self-described democratic socialist born in Uganda. Middle East Conflict Adds Tension to Local Race The election isn't just about local issues. It comes days after U.S. airstrikes on Iran, and tensions in Gaza remain high—topics that have unexpectedly defined the primary race. Cuomo has voiced strong support for Israel, while Mamdani has publicly condemned military action in Gaza and criticized the U.S. role in regional conflicts. Their opposing views have turned the race into a reflection of New Yorkers' divided opinions on global politics. Ranked-Choice Voting Could Shake Up Results Polls have previously shown Cuomo in the lead. But a new Emerson College survey suggests that Mamdani could pull off a win under the city's ranked-choice voting system, which redistributes votes from lower-ranking candidates until one emerges with a majority. That could give Mamdani, despite his limited experience, a chance at an upset—especially with his campaign focusing on rent freezes, universal child care, and bold social programs funded by government borrowing. Andrew Cuomo is afraid he'll lose, so his donors want you to fear me. His SuperPAC just sent out a mailer that artificially lengthened and darkened my beard. This is blatant Islamophobia—the kind of racism that explains why MAGA billionaires support his campaign. — Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) June 12, 2025 Race Gets Personal as Campaigns Heat Up Tensions between the candidates have also gone personal. Mamdani recently accused a pro-Cuomo political group of altering his image in a campaign photo to make his beard appear longer and darker, calling the move Islamophobic. What's Next Whoever wins today will face incumbent Mayor Eric Adams in November. Adams won in 2021 as a Democrat but is now running as an independent. In a city that leans heavily Democratic, today's winner could likely take the mayor's seat in the general election. The result of this primary could not only mark a historic milestone for representation—but also reshape how New York tackles both local and global challenges.
The National
2 days ago
- Politics
- The National
New Yorkers to decide if the city will have its first Muslim mayor
New York voters head to the polls on Tuesday for a Democratic primary election that could lead to the city electing its first Muslim mayor. Voters face a dramatic choice between the two top candidates: former New York governor Andrew Cuomo and his main challenger, Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim socialist state assembly member who was born in Uganda. Voting is expected to take place in sweltering heat and as the Big Apple tightens security after the US bombed Iran at the weekend. The race has become a microcosm of New Yorkers' views on the conflicts in the Middle East, with Mr Cuomo pledging support for Israel as Mr Mamdani criticises its wars in Gaza and Iran. Whoever wins the Democratic primary will face incumbent mayor Eric Adams, who won the 2021 election as a Democrat but is running this time as an independent. Polls have largely shown Mr Cuomo ahead, but a new Emerson College survey released on Monday showed Mr Mamdani prevailing in the city's complex ranked-choice voting system. The ranked-choice system operates as a series of instant run-offs, in which the candidate in last place is eliminated and his or her votes redistributed based on voters' second choice. That process is repeated until a winner is decided. Mr Mamdani hopes his platform of rent freezes and free child care, funded through massive borrowing, will help voters look past his limited political experience as a state politician. If victorious, Mr Mamdani stands a good chance in heavily Democratic New York of winning the general election in November. He recently accused Mr Cuomo of Islamophobia, claiming that a political action committee supporting the former New York governor had doctored a photo of Mr Mamdani, artificially lengthening and darkening his beard.
