The 34-year-old Democratic politician has transitioned from being an aspiring candidate to the elected mayor of New York City, managing to draw the ire of Donald Trump. How did Zohran Mamdani get here?
Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim of Indian descent born in Uganda, a member of the left wing of the Democratic Party and a „fierce” opponent of Donald Trump, will become the first Muslim mayor of the largest city in the United States.
His rise to political stardom, culminating in victory in the local elections in New York, will be complete in January when he takes the oath to replace Eric Adams, the current mayor.
At 34, Mamdani is the youngest person in the last century to be elected mayor of New York, as noted by Sky News.
Former rapper becomes mayor
Mamdani was relatively unknown when he announced his candidacy last October.
His victory in the summer in the Democratic primary elections for mayor against the then-favorite, Andrew Cuomo - a former governor of New York returning to politics after a sexual harassment scandal - shocked the electorate.
He was elected to the State Assembly in 2020, representing a district in Queens. His appointment to this position marked a triple first: he was the first South Asian man, the first Ugandan, and the third Muslim to serve in this body.
However, Mamdani first made a name for himself in the city's rap scene under the artist names Young Cardamom and later Mr. Cardamom.
He composed a song titled "#1 Spice" with artist HAB for the 2016 Disney film "Queen of Katwe," directed by his mother, Mira Nair, an award-winning director known primarily for the 2001 comedy/drama "Monsoon Wedding." His father is Mahmood Mamdani, a professor of anthropology at Columbia University.
In 2019, Mamdani released another song, "Nani" - a tribute to his grandmother.
Trump claimed Mamdani was in the US illegally
The future mayor of New York was born in Kampala, Uganda, and grew up there and briefly in South Africa until the age of seven when his family moved to New York.
He attended a public school and the Bronx High School of Science in New York, then earned a degree in African Studies at Bowdoin College, where he co-founded the first Students for Justice in Palestine chapter at the institution.
He became an American citizen in 2018 and worked as a housing counselor to prevent foreclosures.
This job, where he helped low-income people of color in Queens fight eviction and stay in their homes, inspired him to run for public office, he said.
Mamdani married Rama Duwaji, a Syrian-American artist he met on the Hinge dating app earlier this year.
President Trump baselessly claimed that Mamdani was "illegal" in the US, and some Republicans called for his deportation.
A targeted campaign
His energetic campaign focused on cost of living issues made Mamdani popular among working-class voters.
He used social media to engage with a younger audience. Carefully produced videos garnered him nearly 5 million followers on Instagram and 1.6 million on TikTok.
Mamdani presented his vision for free buses, free child care, new apartments, and a higher minimum wage - funded by new taxes on the wealthy.
He also proposed plans to hire thousands of new teachers, renegotiate city contracts, and freeze rents for the one million rent-regulated apartments in the city.
"We won because New Yorkers dared to hope that the impossible could become possible," Mamdani told his supporters after his victory.
Critics argued that his ambitious plans are not feasible.
Opponents stumbled
However, Mamdani's campaign was also favored by controversies that affected his competitors.
Andrew Cuomo sought to return to politics after a scandal that forced him to resign as governor of New York in 2021 when a report from the state attorney general concluded he had sexually harassed at least 11 women.
The 67-year-old politician refused to withdraw from the race after losing the Democratic primary to Mamdani and ran as an independent, with better chances than Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa due to New York's population tendency to vote for Democrats.
Mamdani also benefited from current Democratic mayor Eric Adams deciding in September to withdraw from the race for a new term. His reputation suffered after being accused of bribery and illegal campaign contributions from foreign citizens last year. The accusations were later dropped.
A controversial figure for Democrats
Progressive politicians supported Zohran Mamdani throughout his campaign, with his economic populism and youthful charisma propelling his notoriety beyond the outskirts of New York City.
Just before winning the June primary elections, he received strong support from popular American Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Throughout most of his campaign, Democratic leaders in Washington and moderate Democrats were seen distancing themselves from Mamdani, with some considering his socialist views too radical.
He has been an outspoken critic of Israel, calling its military campaign in Gaza a "genocide" and stating that Palestine should exist as a "state with equal rights." At the same time, he called for substantial tax increases on the wealthy to make life more affordable for New Yorkers.
His views have posed a challenge for left-wing leaders who seek to attract voters not only from Democratic strongholds like New York but also from swing states or Republican-leaning areas in next year's Senate elections in North Carolina and Ohio.
And those who initially did not support him have come around
Party leaders, including Governor Kathy Hochul and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, eventually declared their support for Mamdani, a few months after he secured the nomination for the local elections in New York.
According to the New York Times, although former President Barack Obama did not openly support the 34-year-old, he called Mamdani and offered his support.
Hakeem Jeffries, a moderate Democrat from New York, stated that he has disagreements with Mamdani but supported his nomination, arguing that the party should unite against Republicans and Donald Trump.
T.D.