Progressive Democrat Shocks Former Governor in NY Mayor Primary
Andrew Cuomo has conceded the New York City mayoral Democratic primary to state assemblyman Zohran Mamdani in a shocking political upset.
Cuomo, the state's former governor, was aiming to make a political return after resigning in 2021 due to a sexual harassment scandal.
Cuomo told supporters in a rally that Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist, had "won" the primary battle and that "we are going to take a look and make some decisions".
"Tonight's his night," Cuomo, 67, stated. If elected, Mamdani would become the first Muslim and Indian American to govern the country's largest metropolis.
The primary is firmly liberal. New York will most likely determine who becomes mayor in the November election.
The battle was viewed as a litmus test for the Democratic Party as it sought to sharpen its messaging following election setbacks in November, when President Donald Trump's Republicans won the White House and both chambers of Congress.
On Tuesday night, Mamdani held a commanding lead but fell short of the 50% level required to win outright.
Cuomo's admission was unexpected given that counting is set to continue next week under the ranked-choice method, which enabled New Yorkers to select up to five candidates in order of preference.
The former governor's defeat is the "biggest upset in modern NYC history," according to Trip Yang, a political consultant.
"A massive win for Zohran Mamdani that shows that when Donald Trump is President, New York Democrats want to see their leaders fight with enthusiasm and courage, and that's what Zohran showed voters."
In an interview with the New York Times, Cuomo stated that he was still considering running as an independent in the November general election.
"I said he won the primary election," Cuomo told the media. "I said I wanted to look at the numbers and the ranked-choice voting to decide about what to do in the future, because I'm also on an independent line."
Cuomo was regarded as a moderate and establishment favourite, having been well-known throughout the country after serving as governor during the Covid epidemic.
Mamdani is a millennial outsider who was largely unknown until recently.
He was born in Uganda and relocated to New York City with his family when he was seven years old. He released one campaign video totally in Urdu and spliced in Bollywood film excerpts. In another, he uses Spanish.
Mamdani's intense sympathy for Palestinians and criticism of Israel set him in conflict with the majority of the Democratic elite.
During his campaign, he went viral with videos in which he questioned New York City residents who supported Trump in the November election.
He inquired about the concerns that prompted them to vote for the Republican president and what it would take for them to switch to the Democratic party.
Mamdani's agenda includes free public transportation, universal childcare, rent freezes in subsidized housing, and city-run grocery stores, all funded by additional taxes on the wealthy.
"This is a city where one in every four people lives in poverty, and 500,000 children go to bed hungry every night," he told the BBC at a recent event.
"And ultimately, it's a city that is in danger of losing that which makes it so special."
During his candidacy, Mamdani received support from Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders, both of whom are democratic socialists.