After news exploded across social media and beyond that Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist who would become New York’s first Muslim mayor if elected, was on track to win the city’s Democratic primary on Tuesday night, reactions from supporters poured in to offer their well-wishes and thoughts.
While it could still be several days before the final result is known, Mamdani nabbed more than 43.5% of the vote with 93% of the votes counted while his biggest competitor, Andrew Cuomo, the former New York governor and previous favorite, was at 36.4%
Mamdani declared victory late on Tuesday, telling supporters “I will be your Democratic nominee for the mayor of New York City.”
Evoking the fervor and awe of representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s 2018 win against longtime Democratic incumbent Joseph Crowley of New York, Mamdani stands poised to make history in more ways than one.
“This is the biggest upset in modern New York City history,” Trip Yang, a Democratic consultant, told the New York Times.
In contrast, Ocasio-Cortez heartily congratulated Mamdani on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday night.
“Your dedication to an affordable, welcoming, and safe New York City where working families can have a shot has inspired people across the city. Billionaires and lobbyists poured millions against you and our public finance system. And you won,” she wrote.
Cynthia Nixon, who was seen at Mamdani’s election night party, simply wrote: “Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim democratic socialist has won the NYC primary for Mayor!!!!!!”
Fellow democratic socialist and senator Bernie Sanders also wished Mamdani well and congratulated “his thousands of grassroots supporters for their extraordinary campaign. You took on the political, economic and media Establishment- and you beat them. Now it’s on to victory in the general election.”
Brad Lander, one of Mamdani and Cuomo’s competitors and New York City’s comptroller, notably cross-endorsed Mamdani earlier this month in a now-viral, upbeat joint campaign to rank one another; Lander’s post about Mamdani leading echoed that initial message: “Hope and solidarity won tonight, and will win again in November.”
Attendees of Mamdani’s election night party also proved effusive and were heard singing lyrics to “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” as Cuomo’s concession speech repeated on a screen.
