Who Is Zohran Mamdani? First-Time Mayoral Candidate Leads NYC as Cuomo Concedes and Praises His Grassroots Campaign

Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, a first-time mayoral candidate and a rising star in New York City politics, has taken a commanding lead in the Democratic primary for mayor. While ranked-choice voting will still decide the final outcome, Mamdani’s lead has already sent a strong message across the political landscape of the city.

On Tuesday night, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, also in the race, conceded and offered heartfelt praise for Mamdani’s performance and campaign.

“Tonight was not our night. Tonight was Assemblyman Mamdani’s night, and he put together a great campaign,” Cuomo said.
“He touched young people and he inspired them and moved them, and got them to come out and vote. And he really ran a highly impactful campaign. I called him. I congratulated him. I applaud him sincerely for his effort.”

The Man Behind the Momentum

Zohran Mamdani, born on October 18, 1991, in Kampala, Uganda, comes from a family known both in academia and the arts. His father, Professor Mahmood Mamdani, is a well-known political thinker and scholar whose research on colonialism and African politics has had global academic impact. He is currently Director at the Makerere Institute of Social Research in Uganda and has taught at Columbia University.

His mother, Mira Nair, is a very famous Indian American filmmaker. She is known for highly acclaimed international films such as Salaam Bombay!, Monsoon Wedding, The Namesake, and Queen of Katwe. It is Nair who tells the complex stories of culture.

Growing Up Between Worlds

Zohran spent his early childhood in Kampala and Cape Town before the family eventually settled in New York City when he was just seven. There, he attended the Bank Street School and later the Bronx High School of Science, one of the city’s most prestigious public schools. He later studied Africana Studies at Bowdoin College in Maine, a discipline that deeply connects with his political vision today.

A Rapper Turned Assemblyman

Mamdani was in music before politics, mostly hip-hop, under the name Mr. Cardamom. His interest and passion, however, were in community service and activism, which led him into politics. In 2021, he was elected to the New York State Assembly to represent certain Queens districts. His left-leaning politics and hands-on approach to housing, immigration, and racial justice issues have quickly earned him a considerable following.  

Now his mayoral run for New York City gained momentum behind Mamdani with the endorsements of high-profile progressives like Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders.

His ability to connect with younger voters and marginalized communities has been a defining trait of his mayoral bid.

Even though Mamdani is currently leading, the final result will depend on how the ranked-choice voting system plays out, with a conclusive outcome expected by July 1.

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