Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist from Queens, has become a surprise name in New York City politics. Just a few months ago, he had less than 1% support. But on June 24, he beat Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic mayoral primary, gaining national attention and reshaping the race.
His win shows how far voters have turned away from centrist politics, and it also gives Republicans a clear new target for criticism and strategy.
Zohran Mamdani’s Background and Views
Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, and moved to the U.S. at age seven. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, teaches at Columbia University, and his mother, Mira Nair, is an Oscar-nominated filmmaker. Both have spoken out against Israel’s war in Gaza, something Mamdani also criticises publicly and consistently.
As a student, he helped start a pro-Palestine group. He later refused to condemn the phrase “globalise the intifada,” saying it stood for Palestinian equality. Many Jewish New Yorkers saw the phrase as violent. Before running for office, he worked as a foreclosure-prevention counsellor and once rapped under the name “Mr Cardamom,” performing in small local events.
Mamdani is part of the Democratic Socialists of America. He ran on a platform of affordability, calling for free buses, rent freezes, city-run grocery stores, and higher taxes on the wealthy. His campaign reached young and moderate voters and flipped some areas that had voted for Trump.
Republicans Target Zohran Mamdani
Mamdani has called himself “Donald Trump’s worst nightmare as a progressive, Muslim immigrant.” But Republicans say his win helps their cause. Representative Elise Stefanik called him “the single most effective foil for Republicans nationally.” Trump called him “a 100% Communist Lunatic” in a strongly worded online post.
In November, Mamdani will face Republican Curtis Sliwa and two independents, Eric Adams and possibly Cuomo. If he wins, he’ll be the city’s first Muslim mayor, its youngest, and the first major left-wing name to rise during Trump’s second term.
