Dim Amor

Former Governor Andrew Cuomo conceded defeat tonight to State Assembly member Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor, with Mamdani set to become the city's first Muslim and Indo-American mayor if he wins the general election. Mamdani's surprising victory, a member of the Democratic Socialist Party, marks a dramatic shift in New York's urban politics.

As evening fell and it became clear that no candidate had received an absolute majority, the race was set to be decided by ranked-choice voting, but Cuomo had already announced his concession. "I will be mayor of all New Yorkers, whether you voted for me, for Governor Cuomo, or felt too disappointed by a broken political system to vote at all", Mamdani told his supporters.

Mamdani, 33, was born in Kampala, Uganda on October 18, 1991, and came to the United States as a child. He has served as a state assembly member from Queens since 2021 and has been associated with radical progressive positions on housing, transportation, and social welfare. During the campaign, he received support from prominent progressive figures such as Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders, while Cuomo was backed by former President Bill Clinton and former Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Mamdani's political platform includes radical proposals for social revolution in New York. He proposed freezing rent for regulated units, making public transportation free, creating municipal grocery stores, and providing free childcare. Mamdani claims his bold plans would be funded by the richest 1% in New York and corporations, with his revenue plan including raising the corporate tax rate to match New Jersey's 11.5% and a 2% tax on those earning over one million dollars annually.

Mamdani's political positions on Israel and Palestine have sparked fierce controversy among New York's large Jewish community. Mamdani supports the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel and has described Israel's actions in the Gaza war as genocide. During a candidate forum, he said he was unsure if he would be allowed to enter Israel due to his BDS support, referring to a Knesset law that bans entry for movement supporters.

As a student at Bowdoin College in the early 2010s, Mamdani helped establish a chapter of "Students for Justice in Palestine" and wrote a column in the student newspaper urging the college to boycott Israeli academics. In 2023, he introduced a bill called "Not on Our Dime: Ending New York's Funding of Israeli Settler Violence", which would prevent registered charities from donating to organizations supporting Israeli settlers.

Criticism of Mamdani intensified after he was arrested on October 13, 2023, during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in New York, as part of a series of protests calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. In November 2023, he joined a five-day hunger strike outside Washington D.C., supporting an immediate ceasefire and opposing President Biden's support for Israeli bombing.

Mamdani emphasized at a Jewish forum that he doesn't believe visiting Israel is essential to represent the approximately one million Jews who would be his constituents if elected. He said: "What I said is that there's no need to visit Israel to stand with New York Jews. I believe that to stand with New York Jews, you actually need to meet New York Jews where they are, whether that's in their synagogues and temples or in their homes or on the subway platform or in the park".

The harshest criticism came from conservative quarters. Conservative commentators described Mamdani as "worse than a democratic socialist" and as a "committed pro-Hamas activist and supporter of Israel's elimination". A report by the "Canary Mission" organization warned that voting for Mamdani is "a vote for anti-Israeli chaos in New York".

Despite the controversy, Mamdani seeks to appease Jewish voters by emphasizing his positions on local issues. He cited a poll showing that the four most important issues for Jewish voters in the mayoral race are elderly care, paid family leave, affordable housing, and fighting discrimination.

Mamdani's victory represents a dramatic shift in New York politics toward the left. The Democratic primary winner is generally considered the sure candidate for victory in the general election in Democratic New York. Mamdani will face incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who decided to run as an independent after the public storm surrounding his corruption indictment and after Trump's Justice Department dropped the case.

The path to the November general election is expected to be challenging for Mamdani, who will need to prove that his radical positions can win broad support from New York residents. He faces criticism for lack of experience and excessive idealism, but has undoubtedly succeeded in mobilizing a support base through his social media skills and progressive platform. This historic victory may change the face of New York's urban politics for years to come.

Photo: REUTERS/David 'Dee' Delgado