Who Is Zohran Mamdani? Mira Nair's Son & Indian-American Socialist Who Beat Andrew Cuomo To Lead NYC Mayoral Race

New York: Indian-American politician Zohran Mamdani emerged as the surprise front-runner in the Democratic party for New York City's mayoral race, beating veteran politician Andrew Cuomo. With 91% of the votes counted, Mamdani secured 43.5% of the vote, pushing Cuomo to concede on Tuesday night (June 24).

“Tonight is his night. He deserved it. He won,” Cuomo told The New York Times, calling Mamdani’s campaign “smart, good and impactful”.

The result all but seals the 33-year-old’s nomination in the Democratic stronghold of New York City, setting the stage for a likely face-off with current mayor Eric Adams and Republican Curtis Sliwa in November. Adams, facing federal investigations over alleged fraud and bribery, which he denies, is seeking re-election as an independent.

The city’s ranked-choice voting system means official results may take up to a week, but Mamdani’s current lead has energised progressives across the US, with national implications for the Democratic Party’s ideological future.

Who is Zohran Mamdani?

Born in Uganda to Indian filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani, Zohran moved to New York at the age of seven. He became a naturalised US citizen in 2018 and married a Syrian artist earlier this year.

Before entering politics, Mamdani worked as a housing counsellor, helping low-income families fight eviction. A graduate in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College, he also briefly explored careers in rap and writing. In 2020, he was elected to the New York State Assembly, where he described himself as a “democratic socialist”.

His grassroots-driven campaign leaned heavily on themes of affordability, including capping rents and grocery prices, funded by a proposed 2% flat tax on New Yorkers earning over $1 million. He gained endorsements from prominent progressives like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Social media played a key role in his outreach, with well-crafted, culturally rooted videos that used Bollywood references, mango lassis, and Mamdani’s own fluency in Hindi and Urdu to explain voting systems to young, diverse voters.

Cuomo's campaign shift and criticism

Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, once the favourite, saw his comeback derailing after his campaign shifted the focus towards attacking Mamdani in the final stretch. Backed by over $25 million in attack advertisements, reportedly funded in part by Republican donors, Cuomo criticised Mamdani's inexperience and his pro-Palestine stance, even accusing him of anti-semitism.

Mamdani responded in a televised debate, saying, “As mayor, I will be standing up for Jewish New Yorkers… whether it’s at their synagogues and temples or in their homes or at the subway platform.”

Though Cuomo may still run as an independent, political analysts suggest Mamdani’s win reflects a growing appetite among urban voters for progressive leadership, especially in the wake of the Democratic Party’s losses in the 2024 national elections.