Zohran Mamdani, a 33‑year‑old Ugandan‑born Muslim from New York’s Lower East Side, won the Democratic primary for New York City mayor on June 24, 2024.
Early Polling and Cuomo’s Hype
The Democratic primary in New York City had long been dominated by the Party machine, with former Governor Andrew Cuomo seen as the pre‑established frontrunner. Early February polls had him ahead by 30 points, while Mamdani, a 33‑year‑old Muslim entrepreneur, was stuck at about 3‑4 percent. Despite Cuomo’s entrenched financial backers and decades of experience, he was embroiled in a scandal that forced his resignation and was blamed for a surge in elderly deaths during the early pandemic.
Mamdani’s Grassroots Machine
Mamdani’s campaign pivoted on a message that the city’s cost of living is too high for ordinary New Yorkers. He recorded a street‑level video in Brooklyn’s poorest neighborhoods asking residents who they voted for and why, framing the answer as a need for change. He promised to build 200,000 social housing units, open community grocery networks, and fight landlords who break tenancy laws. A volunteer army of a hundred thousand knocked on a million doors before the primary.
Campaign Finance and Counterarguments
Cuomo had the financial muscle: billionaire Michael Bloomberg gave him over $13 million, the Lauder family pooled $3 million, and former Trump allies like Elon Musk’s partner Bill Ackman and Airbnb co‑founder Joe Gebbia each donated roughly $2 million. In contrast, Mamdani’s campaign relied on modest personal contributions and local fundraising. Allegations levied against him—fake videos, false accusations of violence, and extremist rhetoric—were dismissed by him as a smear campaign aimed at undermining his platform of equality and affordable living.
Primary Results and Aftermath
On the eve of the primary, Mamdani had slipped from first to just behind Cuomo by a few percentage points. The primaries use a single transferable vote: the candidate with the least first‑choice votes is eliminated, and those votes are transferred to second choices. Mamdani’s early lead and the support of second‑choice voters, especially from Brad Lauder’s bloc, pushed him past Cuomo in the final count. He won the Democratic nomination with nearly 44 percent of first‑choice votes, while Cuomo received 36 percent and Lauder 11 percent.
Establishment Response
Prominent Democratic leaders such as Governor Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries largely stayed silent on the primary, refraining from endorsing either candidate. In contrast, Hochul, who planned to seek re‑election in 2025, endorsed Mamdani on September 15, and Jeffries acknowledged his candidacy but said he did not view him as the party’s future. The lack of a united front highlighted divisions within the New York Democratic establishment.