U.S. News

Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist who ran a grassroots campaign that inspired younger voters through a relentless focus on making New York City more affordable, was set to win the Democratic primary for mayor Tuesday, toppling former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and nine other candidates in a political earthquake that will reverberate throughout the country.

With 93% of scanners reporting, Mamdani, a state assemblymember from Queens, garnered 44% of ballots to Cuomo’s 36% in the first round of counting in the ranked-choice vote, all but guaranteeing a major upset of the Democratic Party establishment in the nation’s most populous city.

Without a majority of votes, the contest will technically be decided by the ranked-choice tally on July 1. But Cuomo, apparently anticipating the outcome, conceded the primary race, telling his supporters at a somber rally that he’d called Mamdani to congratulate him on his victory.

Mamdani declared victory just after midnight, taking to the stage at his Long Island City watch party as a raucous crowd of supporters chanted his name.