Meet Zohran Mamdani: The Rising Socialist Contender for New York City Mayor

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Since winning the Democratic primary for the New York mayoral election in June, Zohran Mamdani, 34, has attracted mainstream party support — and strong criticism.

Currently slated to win the 4 November election, Ugandan-born Mamdani first ran for office in 2020, winning a seat in the state assembly representing the New York City borough of Queens.

Betting website Polymarket has the odds of Mamdani winning at 95 per cent and if he wins, Mamdani would become New York’s first Muslim and Indian American mayor.

Mamdani’s unexpected ascent has left political analysts re-evaluating their earlier perceptions of his movement, which many had dismissed as excessively radical. With the support of a progressive coalition and significant grassroots momentum, Mamdani has emerged as a prominent voice for his generation, directly challenging the entrenched powers of the city.

The former musician, who still lists self-employed rapper among his jobs in his financial disclosures, has gained traction among young voters with a grassroots campaign that has heavily utilised social media.

The self-described democratic socialist has also garnered support from major Democratic figures.

In a notable endorsement, former US President Barack Obama reached out to Mamdani over the weekend, offering his congratulations on the campaign’s success and expressing willingness to act as an advisor should Mamdani secure victory in the election.

Other Democratic party figures such as former vice president Kamala Harris and New York governor Kathy Hochul have also endorsed him.

On Saturday (local time) Mamdani announced to a crowd in New York: “We stand on the precipice of taking this city back from corrupt politicians and the billionaires that fund them … New York is not for sale”.

Celebrating his campaign’s progress, Mamdani joined hands with fellow Democrats Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, underscoring the unity and support within the progressive wing of the party.

However, Mamdani presents both risks and rewards for the national Democratic Party, which acknowledges the need to appeal to young voters but could become more vulnerable to Republican attacks due to Mamdani’s criticism of Israel.

Meanwhile, Andrew Cuomo, after being defeated by Mamdani in the Democratic primary, is continuing his mayoral bid as an independent candidate. Curtis Sliwa, known for founding the crime prevention organization Guardian Angels, stands as the Republican contender for the mayor’s office.

Cuomo has been vocal in his criticism of Mamdani’s campaign promises, dismissing them as impractical. “It’s a nice slogan, sounds good on TikTok, but it’s not real,” Cuomo commented, questioning the feasibility of Mamdani’s proposed policies.

Mamdani’s campaign centres on housing, transit, and economic justice.

His policies range from hiking taxes on New York City’s wealthiest, raising the corporation tax, freezing stabilised apartment rental rates and increasing publicly subsidised housing, raising worries among the finance community that the city’s competitiveness will suffer.

Cuomo has criticised these promises as unrealistic.

“The mayor cannot freeze the rent,” and “doesn’t control the buses,” Cuomo argued, stating the legal and logistical challenges of such policies.

“It’s a nice slogan, sounds good on TikTok, but it’s not real.”

US President Donald Trump has called Mamdani a “communist” and has hinted that he might deploy the national guard to New York if he becomes mayor.

However, Mamdani insists his message transcends party lines.

“I look forward to being a mayor for every single person that calls this city home, not just those who voted for me in the Democratic primary, not just those that vote for me in this general election, but all 8.5 million New Yorkers — and that includes Jewish New Yorkers who may have concerns or opposition to the positions that I’ve shared about Israel and Palestine.”