It’s official — Zohran Mamdani has been elected the new mayor of New York City, and he didn’t waste time sending a pointed message to former President Donald Trump.
The 34-year-old Democratic socialist secured a historic victory on November 5, defeating former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.
Mamdani’s win makes him New York’s first Muslim mayor, first of South Asian descent, first born in Africa, and youngest mayor in over a century.
Representing Queens in the state assembly, Mamdani captured more than 50 percent of the vote. Cuomo, 67, finished second with just over 40 percent, while Sliwa trailed with a little more than 7 percent, according to The Guardian.
When he officially takes office on January 1, Mamdani will lead New York as its most progressive mayor in generations.
Mamdani’s Defiant Victory Speech
In his passionate victory address, Mamdani embraced his identity and beliefs without apology, saying:
“The conventional wisdom would tell you that I am far from the perfect candidate. I am young, despite my best efforts to grow older. I am Muslim. I am a democratic socialist. And most damning of all, I refuse to apologise for any of this.”
He continued,
“New York, tonight you have delivered a mandate for change. I will wake up each morning with a singular purpose: to make this city better for you than it was the day before.”
Turning his attention to Donald Trump, the new mayor declared:
