How Zohran Mamdani has gone viral in the New York mayor’s race
Why a Democratic Socialist Is Capturing NYC’s Imagination ?
Zohran Mamdani was trailing Andrew Cuomo, the leading candidate for the next New York City mayor, by 30 points just a few months ago.
Now, as the Democratic primary approaches on Tuesday, the 33-year-old democratic socialist has managed to close the gap with Cuomo, a politician so entrenched in the establishment that a massive bridge north of New York literally carries his last name.
The increase in support for Mamdani, an aspiring rapper who transitioned into state politics, known for his engaging social media videos and a history of progressive, leftist ideas, has demonstrated his clear capacity to attract young voters. Additionally, his recent endorsements from progressives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders have further bolstered his campaign this month.
Mamdani’s ascent has injected a new dynamic into an election that was at risk of becoming a mere formality for Cuomo, the former New York governor who resigned in disgrace in 2021 following allegations of sexual harassment.
For a Democratic party that is struggling to confront Donald Trump and his “make America great again” supporters, this closely monitored election will provide insight into what grassroots Democrats truly want: a traditional candidate promising stability, or a new outsider who has invigorated segments of a fatigued New York electorate with proposals to freeze rent and make buses free throughout the city.
Mamdani’s rise has been amplified by a social media presence that far surpasses that of his competitors.
He boasts nearly a million followers on Instagram and TikTok, where he shares humorous and self-aware videos promoting himself to the public. The clips often feature him walking around New York or riding the subway, activities that are unlikely to be familiar to the multimillionaire Cuomo.
After supporters remarked on Mamdani’s often animated hand gestures in his videos, he shared a clip in which he vowed to keep his hands in his pockets, only to remove them twice, each time being playfully slapped down by a passerby.
"This election is in your hands," a caption stated in the video, where Mamdani encouraged individuals to register to vote. The video continued to play at the end as Mamdani chuckled at the humor.
Born in Uganda to Indian parents, Mamdani relocated to New York City at the age of seven and has maintained a long-standing interest in politics. Recently, a former classmate shared a video recalling how Mamdani triumphed in a "mock presidential election" in 2004. A cricket and soccer player – "he typically played defense or defensive midfield, sprinting down the field to score," a former teammate informed the Guardian – he was elected to represent a district in Queens in the state assembly in 2021.
Mamdani has ambitious plans for his potential tenure as mayor. In a city grappling with a persistent affordable housing crisis, he aims to halt rent increases for residents in qualifying buildings and construct 200,000 new units over the next decade.
He proposes eliminating fares on city buses, an initiative that would incur a cost of at least $630 million but, according to Mamdani, would yield $1.5 billion in economic advantages. (New York City has an annual budget of $115.1 billion for 2026.) He asserts that he can finance his initiatives by raising the corporate tax rate and implementing a flat tax on individuals earning over a million dollars annually.
However, Mamdani's limited political experience, more so than his proposals, has faced scrutiny as he has gained prominence.
During the Democratic debate on June 4, there was a noticeable hint of envy from Mamdani's opponents, with even his progressive competitors taking jabs. Jessica Ramos, a state senator – a position theoretically more powerful than Mamdani's role as state representative – expressed regret for not running for mayor four years prior, remarking: "I believed I needed more experience, but it seems you only need to create compelling videos."
Ramos’s comments echoed Cuomo’s ongoing assertion that Mamdani lacks the necessary experience to serve as mayor. As Mamdani's popularity has increased in the polls, Cuomo has intensified his attacks on his opponent, portraying him as overly radical and inexperienced to govern the city through a series of television advertisements and distributed flyers. In one suggested mailer, a pro-Cuomo organization seemed to have darkened Mamdani's skin and beard, who would be the first Muslim mayor of New York, a tactic Mamdani condemned as "blatant Islamophobia." A representative for the organization stated that the advertisement was proposed by a vendor and was promptly rejected for production after review, and was later amended.
Mamdani has consistently attempted to link Cuomo to Trump, highlighting that many of his financial backers supported Trump during the presidential election.
"Oligarchy is on the ballot. Andrew Cuomo represents the interests of a billionaire class that is stifling our democracy and pushing the working class out of our city," stated Mamdani’s campaign in an email to supporters on Tuesday.
In a more direct criticism of his rival, Mamdani remarked during the debate: "I have never had to resign in disgrace. I have never cut Medicaid, I have never embezzled hundreds of millions of dollars from the MTA, I have never pursued the 13 women who credibly accused me of sexual harassment, I have never sought their gynecological records, and I have never engaged in such actions because I am not you, Mr. Cuomo."
The New York Democratic primary will implement ranked-choice voting, enabling voters to select multiple candidates, which Mamdani hopes may enhance his prospects. Last week, he declared that he was "cross-endorsing" with Brad Lander, a fellow progressive who was arrested by ICE agents on Tuesday while attending an immigration court.
The primary winner is not assured of becoming the 111th mayor of New York; however, it is quite probable in a city where registered Democrats significantly outnumber Republicans.
The current mayor, Eric Adams, who was elected as a Democrat in 2021 but is contesting this year as an independent, is quite unpopular among the city's residents. Last year, he faced allegations of accepting bribes and foreign campaign donations, but these charges were dismissed in April following intervention from the Trump administration.
Although Mamdani enjoys popularity among younger voters and the left wing of the party, he has struggled to gain traction with Black and Latino voters compared to Cuomo, although a recent poll indicated that Mamdani is starting to receive more support from these groups.
The Cuomo campaign and its supporters have also highlighted Mamdani's remarks regarding Israel's actions in Gaza, where he has described the situation as genocide. This statement has been leveraged by Cuomo, a staunchly pro-Israel Democrat who has actively engaged with the city's substantial Jewish community. In a recent post on X, Cuomo nearly accused Mamdani of inciting antisemitism. In response, Mamdani asserts that he has formed a coalition that includes Jewish New Yorkers and plans to establish a department dedicated to investigating hate crimes.
In an election where Cuomo has opted to largely steer clear of the media and public engagement, the momentum appears to be with Mamdani.
A rally featuring Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York congresswoman and fellow democratic socialist, attracted thousands to a music venue in Manhattan in mid-June, and Mamdani's appearances at popular music venues throughout the city have garnered enthusiastic crowds.
“For the longest time, mayoral candidates have been kind of the same type of guy. Either they’re like legacy New York politics people, or businessmen that kind of pivoted through,” remarked Tomas Carlson, a 23-year-old supporter of Mamdani.