Zohran Mamdani Aims to be NYC’s First South Asian Mayor

NEW YORK: Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic Socialist assemblyman from Queens, is jumping into the race for mayor of New York City, with aspirations of becoming the first Muslim and South Asian mayor in the city’s history.

Originally from Kampala, Uganda, Mamdani is the son of an Indian professor at Columbia University and a filmmaker, Mira Nair. He relocated to New York at the age of seven, and has been a member of the New York State Assembly since 2021.

Supported by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Mamdani has gained popularity among grassroots voters with a campaign focused on issues like affordability, accessibility, and community engagement.

Mamdani received a significant endorsement from US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who remarked that he has shown a strong ability to unite working-class New Yorkers and has the leadership needed to lead the city.

In a recent campaign video shared on Instagram, Mamdani creatively combines serious policy messages with reenactments of famous Bollywood scenes. He expressed gratitude to his supporters for raising $8 million and making over 600,000 door-to-door campaign visits.

“We stand on the verge of electing the first South Asian mayor in New York’s history,” Mamdani states in the video. “But this election is not just about who I am—it’s about what I will accomplish. My goal is to make this city affordable for all.”

He highlighted essential policy proposals during the video, including a freeze on rent increases, universal childcare, free public transportation, and more access to affordable groceries. Mamdani addressed the current crisis affecting working-class New Yorkers regarding the affordability of basic necessities like food, clothing, and housing.

The video also served as an educational segment for voters on New York’s ranked-choice voting system.

In this system, all first-choice votes are counted initially. Should a candidate secure over 50% of these votes, they are declared the winner. If no one achieves a majority, the candidate with the least number of votes is eliminated, and their supporters’ votes move to their next preferred candidate. This process continues in rounds until only two candidates remain. In the final round, the candidate receiving the most votes is declared the winner. Your vote is transferred to your next preferred candidate only if your top choices are no longer in contention, according to the official New York City election board’s website.

“The more candidates you rank, the more impact your ballot holds,” he explained in the video.

Mamdani encouraged voters to rank him as their first choice and also to back Brad Lander, Adrienne Adams, and Zellnor Myrie, while issuing a stern warning against former Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Cuomo, who once served as US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and New York’s Attorney General before becoming governor in 2011, resigned in 2021 due to a sexual harassment scandal. He is now attempting a political comeback, focusing his campaign on improving city management, addressing mental health issues, and combating anti-Semitism.

Mamdani cautioned, “This individual’s campaign is backed by Trump supporters. If he wins, it won’t just be Washington that they control; it will also be New York.”

In the Democratic primary, the leading candidates are Cuomo and Mamdani. Other Democratic contenders include city comptroller Brad Lander, NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, former comptroller Scott Stringer, State Senators Jessica Ramos and Zellnor Myrie, political consultant Michael Blake, and investor Whitney Tilson.

Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams is running as an independent following various scandals and investigations during his administration.

Early voting is set to begin on June 14, with the primary election scheduled for June 24. The general election will take place on November 4.