It looks like Zohran Mamdani — AKA the man making politicians hot again — is coming out on top in the New York City Democratic primary race after competitor Andrew Cuomo officially conceded.
If you have even a slightly interesting For You Page, you would have come across Mamdani’s campaign TikToks — from admitting his hot takes on Subway Takes to streaming with Hasan Piker and even being endorsed by model Emily Ratajkowski.
So, what happened? After 90 per cent of the votes were counted, Mamdani was sitting pretty at 43.5 per cent with Cuomo trailing at 36.3 per cent, per The Guardian.
Cuomo, who once had a 30-point lead and the kind of name recognition you only get from running the state and, you know, resigning in disgrace, conceded on Tuesday night.
“Tonight is his night. He deserved it. He won,” Cuomo told his supporters, which is about as gracious as you can get after spending $25 million in outside money and still coming up short.
Mamdani’s whole campaign was basically a masterclass in how to make politics not just tolerable, but actually kind of fun. He ran on freezing rents, making buses free, and generally making life in New York less of a financial nightmare.
His grassroots army was powered by young people and, crucially, a social media strategy that made even the most jaded Gen Z stop scrolling.
Meanwhile, Cuomo’s campaign was all about small, tightly managed events and a barrage of attack ads, which, shockingly, did not inspire anyone to vote for him.
Even with endorsements from Bill Clinton and a mountain of centrist donors, he just couldn’t match the energy. And let’s be real: after resigning as governor amid sexual harassment allegations, Cuomo was always going to have a tough time convincing people he was the future of the city.
If you’re wondering why you, an Australian, should care about Mamdani’s win, it isn’t just a big deal for New York — it’s a massive signal to progressives everywhere that you can run on big, bold ideas and actually win, even against the old guard.
Also, and I mean this with respect, he’s gorgeous.
Of course, the ranked-choice voting system means we’re not technically done yet, but with Cuomo conceding and Mamdani picking up support from third-place Brad Lander, it’s basically a done deal.
In fact Mamdani accepted the win when addressing his supporters at his campaign’s headquarters in Queens. “Tonight, we made history. In the words of Nelson Mandela, ‘It always seems impossible until it is done.’ My friends, we have done it. I will be your Democratic nominee for the mayor of New York City,” Mamdani said, per CBS News.
“Together, we have shown the power of the politics of the future, one of partnership and of sincerity.”
The November general election is still to come, but with the city’s current mayor, Eric Adams, running as an unpopular independent after his own legal dramas, Mamdani’s chances are looking great.
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