The Name is Mamdani: New York City’s New Mayor
Chinaza Iwe, Culture Section Editor, BA History and World Philosophies
On November 4th 2025, democratic socialist Zohran Kwame Mamdani won the mayoral election, becoming the youngest New York City mayor since 1892. Mamdani’s campaign was a thing of leftist beauty, from winning the democratic primary and forcing former Governor Andrew Cuomo to run as an independent to his victory speech thanking the immigrants of NYC. Mamdani entered the race as a nobody, making his victory with 50.4% of the vote to Andrew Cuomo’s 41.6% and republican candidate Curtis Sliwa’s 7.1% all the more remarkable.
Mamdani’s policies spoke to the hearts of New Yorkers: free buses around the city, freezing rent prices and free childcare. These policies and Mamdani’s presence in debate terrified Cuomo, the billionaires and super-PACs that supported him and the right. Mamdani in debate was a character so rarely seen in modern politics, honest and unapologetic. When asked the question, ‘Would you accept Eric Adam’s endorsement?’ He replied with a simple ‘No.’ So often politicians skirt around questions and deflect, never providing a straightforward answer. However, this was not the case for Mamdani.
Also brilliant and mostly comedic in the debate was Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. Sliwa seems to have a deep passion for the parades of New York City and wants to lead them all. Sliwa injected humour into the debate, at one point saying ‘don’t be glazing me here, Zohran’ after Mamdani stated that in ranked voting, he would place himself first and Sliwa after him. The pair were a perfect display of bipartisanship coming together in their distaste for Cuomo. Whilst the vote did not go in Sliwa’s favour, as in this day and age New York will not go red, he certainly brought flair to the mayoral race.
From the start, Cuomo’s campaign was shaped around a singular message: convincing New Yorkers not to vote Mamdani, with the leading page of his campaign website reading ‘say no to Zo.’ Second to his anti-Zohran mission, Cuomo’s primary policy was increasing the size of the NYPD by an additional 5,000 officers and to reshape the force to what it once was 25 years ago. Contrarily, Mamdani understood what New Yorkers truly wanted: to have a leader who reflected them, a young person, an immigrant, a breath of fresh air.
Mamdani’s policy put the people first. He wants to pour money into public libraries and create government subsidised grocery stores to stop sky-rocketing prices of everyday items. And, most importantly, Mamdani ran a clean, honest campaign. The foundation of his campaign was protecting New Yorkers, even from the federal government and President Donald Trump. Mamdani vows to ‘Trump-proof’ New York. In his victory speech, he addresses Trump directly, telling him to ‘turn the volume up’ and pay attention to the speech, reminding the president that New York will not bow. In his meeting with President Trump on the 21st of November, the pair seemed cordial. When asked if he still believed Trump was a fascist, Trump interjected, telling Mamdani he could just say yes, which he did, as it was easier than explaining. According to Mamdani, there is no place for ICE in New York. No place for Trump in New York. And no place for those who cosy up to Trump, such as ex-governor Andrew Cuomo.
Mamdani’s policies are exactly what New Yorkers want. To have their city back and stand firm against the right. Mamdani’s strategy, like his policies, appealed to the diversity of New York. Having featured on an episode of ‘Gaydar’, a short form interview style TikTok show hosted by drag queen and New Yorker Anania, Mamdani showed the queer people of New York that they would be represented. He also marketed straight to the millennials and Gen Z of New York with his voter registration reminder, referencing the iconic mean girls quote, ‘on October 3rd he asked what day it was’. Mamdani takes the place of Lindsay Lohan, replying that it’s October third and there are only three weeks left to register to vote.
Mamdani did more than just appeal to young voters. Going from the club on Saturday night to church on Sunday morning. From university lecture halls to salsa class with the abuelas. He spent time with bodega owners and yellow cab drivers, and would even take the bus from debates and campaigns to his neighbour. Mamdani sees New York for what it is: a melting pot of culture and life. The basis of Mamdani’s campaign was that the city belongs to the people and democracy does too.
In his new role as a public servant Mamdani is holding firm in his pledges with an all female transition team that includes Lina Khan. Khan, a rich man's worst nightmare, was the commissioner for the Federal Trade Commission under former president Biden, where she cracked down on private equity firms. As part of Mamdani’s staff, she will be crucial to his housing initiatives, protecting rent-controlled homes in NYC. Mamdani and NYC are turning the tide in modern politics. Defying Trump and putting the people rather than profit at the centre of their politics.
