On November 4, 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani claimed a resounding victory, defe:ating Independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa by a significant margin. When he assumes office on January 1, 2026, Mamdani will make history as New York City’s first Muslim, first South Asian, first African-born, and first Millennial mayor.
“The conventional wisdom would suggest I’m far from the ideal candidate,” Mamdani told a jubilant crowd at his election night rally.
Outside Brooklyn Paramount, the crowd erupted as he added: “Tonight, New York has spoken, and the mandate is clear – change is coming.”
This mandate followed a grassroots campaign centered on the affordability crisis affecting millions of residents. Mamdani’s bold progressive platform proposed free public bus service, universal childcare, and a rent freeze for stabilized apartments. Despite facing opponents with substantial financial resources and establishment support, his victory surprised political observers nationwide.
Mamdani’s path to City Hall, however, began far from New York.
He immigrated from Uganda in 1998 at age seven. After years as a lawful permanent resident, he became a U.S. citizen in 2018 – a milestone that eventually enabled him to run for office.
As the assemblyman prepares to take the city’s highest office, his historic win has provoked strong backlash, particularly from prominent conservative figures, including former President Donald Trump.
Attacks against Mamdani started months before Election Day. During his primary victory speech in June 2025, he pledged to “stop masked ICE agents from deporting our neighbors,” drawing national attention and swift pushback from Trump. According to ABC News, Trump war:ned, “Well then, we’ll have to arre:st him.”
Trump, who labeled Mamdani a “nut job” at the time, also repeated unfounded claims that Mamdani was in the U.S. illegally.“Many are claiming he’s here unlawfully,” Trump said.
“We’ll investigate everything. Ideally, he’ll prove to be far less of a communist. But right now, he’s a communist, not a socialist.”
Standing firm
Mamdani responded on X, stating: “The President of the United States just threatened to have me arrested, stripped of my citizenship, detained, and deported not because I’ve broken any law, but because I refuse to let ICE terrorize our city. These statements aren’t just an atta:ck on me and they’re a war:ning to every New Yorker: if you speak up, they will come for you. We will not accept this intimidation.”
As Election Day drew closer, Trump intensified his atta:cks, calling Mamdani a “self-proclaimed New York City Communist” on Truth Social and suggesting that his candidacy would inadvertently benefit Republicans.
“Zohran Mamdani, a self-proclaimed New York City Communist running for Mayor, may turn out to be one of the best things to ever happen to our Republican Party,” Trump wrote, adding, “He’s going to face challenges in Washington like no mayor in our city’s history.”
A mayor undeterred
As he prepares to take office, Mamdani faces a politically charged environment with threats, intense media scrutiny, and right-wing opposition. Yet his stance remains firm.
“To get to any of us,” he declared on election night, “you will have to get through all of us.”
