5 Takeaways From Mamdani’s Upset Victory in NYC’s Mayoral Democratic Primary

Contact Your Elected Officials

The win for the Democratic Socialist lawmaker revealed the success of his strategy in an election where cost of living trumped all other issues.

NEW YORK CITY—Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old self-described socialist, won the Democratic Primary contest for the 2025 New York City mayoral election, defeating former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Even in a ranked-choice voting system, Mamdani’s lead in the first round of tallying—43.5 percent to Cuomo’s 36.3 percent—was so large that Cuomo immediately conceded.

Few predicted this would happen. In February, Mamdani, a Democratic socialist lawmaker, was written off as a nonfactor in the race with just 1 percent support, while Cuomo had 33 percent. In recent weeks, Mamdani dramatically closed the polling gap, but it was still expected to be a closer contest, with the race heading to multiple rounds of tallying to determine a victor.

An Indian Ugandan immigrant who became a U.S. citizen in 2018, Mamdani ran on an unabashedly progressive platform—of freezing rents, eliminating public bus fares, providing free child care and city-run grocery stores with low prices, and raising taxes on the rich—at a time when many Democrats are reconsidering left-wing politics, particularly after the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

Mamdani will now face incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent, in the general election on Nov. 4. His primary victory offers several lessons about that next contest and politics in general.

Mamdani’s Turnout Success 

Mamdani’s upset victory was a testament to his campaign strategy that relied heavily on social media. He overperformed in the first round—polls suggested that he would win only 34 percent at that stage. Full results are expected to be announced on July 1. 

The Democratic socialist produced a series of creative videos about himself speaking charismatically and interacting with voters in public. These included videos of him speaking foreign languages, such as Hindi. Voters took notice.

“His entire candidacy has been very, very well-advertised, I think, to immigrants and people in general,” said Nikita Jain, a voter in Brooklyn who supported Mamdani. 

“I think his PR team, whoever is doing his social media and stuff, is great. They’re super smart. I think they’re doing a really good job of reaching young voters,” said Sadia Hanif, a Queens resident who voted for Mamdani. “I haven’t been this excited about a candidate for a really long time.”

As he gained attention and support, Mamdani’s message was amplified by others, helping to boost traction and turnout. Progressive endorsers such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), social media influencers, and organizers all spread Mamdani’s message online to reach his best demographics—younger voters and minorities in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan. 

They also shared instructions on where and how to vote, which was critical to turnout.

“I was really impressed by the candidates’ and local politicians’ efforts to educate folks on the space, especially AOC,” said Lee, a Manhattan voter who ranked Mamdani second and declined to give a surname. 

By Arjun Singh

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Are conservatives fighting a fiction of woke?

Wokery, it hurts to say it, is too disorganized to have an organized cosmology or doctrine of metaphysical belief.

Illinois Democrat Offenders Reveal Party

The crime of J.B Pritzker and Brandon Johnson in this episode of American history is called subversion at the least , but could be as serious as treason.

Inside the Public School Librarian Jihad to Keep Transgender Propaganda on Shelves

Public school librarians are doing all they can to keep child tranny propaganda flowing directly into the malleable minds of their charges.

Five Reasons Why The Latest Czech Elections Were So Important

Populist-nationalist politician Andrej Babis is poised to return to the premiership after his party's victory. Here are 5 reasons why this is so important.

Bad Bunny is the NFL’s Latest Insult

After years of advocating social justice causes, the NFL chose left wing, gender fluid rapper Bad Bunny to headline the next Super Bowl. Does the NFL want conservatives fans?

29-Year-Old Florida Man Arrested Over Palisades Fire

A 29-year-old Melbourne, Florida man was arrested for allegedly starting the Palisades wildfire that burned for weeks and killed 12 people.

FBI, LAPD Raid Mexican Mafia-Linked Gang in Southern California

FBI and LAPD raided a Mexican Mafia-linked gang in Southern CA, arresting a dozen individuals in connection to the Rancho San Pedro organization.

James Comey Pleads Not Guilty to 2 Federal Charges

Former FBI Dir. James Comey pleaded not guilty in federal court on Oct. 8 to charges of making a false statement and obstructing a congressional proceeding.

Judge Upholds Nassau County Ban on Transgender Athletes in Women’s Sports

A New York judge on Oct. 6 upheld a Long Island county law banning male athletes from participating in women’s sports at county-run facilities.

Trump Says He May Invoke Insurrection Act in Portland If Necessary

President Donald Trump on Oct. 6 said he may consider invoking the Insurrection Act in Portland, Oregon, if necessary.

Trump: All Medium, Heavy Duty Trucks Entering US Will See 25 Percent Tariff on Nov. 1

President Trump announced on Monday that all medium and heavy-duty trucks entering the United States will see a 25 percent tariff starting on Nov. 1.

Treasury Names Social Security Commissioner as CEO of IRS

Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent announced that Frank Bisignano, the head of the Social Security Administration (SSA), will also serve as CEO of the IRS.

Agencies Terminated, Descoped 94 Wasteful Contracts With $8.5 Billion Ceiling Value, Says DOGE

Various federal government agencies have terminated and descoped 94 wasteful contracts over the past five days, DOGE said in an Oct. 4 post on X.
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

MAGA Business Central