On Tuesday, Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayoral race. Mamdani, a Democrat, received just over 50% of the vote, totaling over a million votes from the NYC population. Mamdani will be the city’s first Muslim mayor, first mayor of South Asian heritage, first mayor born in Africa, and the youngest mayor since John Purroy Mitchel in 1913. Mamdani ran on a campaign promising free city bus fares, universal childcare, freezing stabilized rent, and raising taxes on large corporations and New York’s 1% population to lower the cost of living. He also plans to raise the minimum wage by 2030.
Andrew Cuomo, an Independent, came second in the race with roughly 42% percent of the vote. Cuomo was most popular in Staten Island, where he received over 55% of the borough’s total votes. In his concession speech after Mamdani’s victory was announced, Cuomo said, “We are headed down a dangerous, dangerous road.” Cuomo criticized Mamdani’s self-proclaimed socialist ideals and his plans to reform certain New York Police Department operations. “We need the police to keep society safe. We will not make the NYPD the enemy,” Cuomo said.
Mamdani also bested Republican Curtis Sliwa, who gained notoriety during the election for his descriptive and occasionally jarring stories on the debate stage. Sliwa acquired just over 7% of the city’s total votes.
In his concession speech, Sliwa had a message for the mayor-elect: “If you try to implement socialism, if you try to render our police weak and impotent, if you forsake the people’s public safety, we’re not only organizing, but we are mobilizing, and we will become the mayor-elect and his supporters’ worst enemies–worst nightmare.” Sliwa rose to prominence as the founder and chief executive officer of the Guardian Angels, a nonprofit crime prevention patrol group based in NYC.
Taylor Beidler ’25, a St. Lawrence University alumna and Queens resident, expressed that she thought the election was intimidating to watch unfold. She said, “Mamdani and Cuomo were both hostile, and it felt like Sliwa presented as the most well-rounded candidate, which I was not expecting.” Beidler says she’s excited to see what Mamdani has to offer as mayor. “His plans may seem abrasive, but if implemented thoughtfully, they could be incredibly impactful. Obviously, the looming threat of a Trump reaction is a bit scary, but that’s nothing new. Overall, I think it is a very important time for the city. Hearing people finally feel seen in the government is very touching and reminds us all that a key part of democracy is representation and voice.”
Mamdani will surely have a historic term as mayor in a nation currently strongly divided by politics. He will take office on Jan. 1, 2026.
Ever Wonder How SLU Students Would Vote in the NYC Election?
