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CityLab Daily

Democratic Socialist Mamdani Could Be New York's Next Mayor

Also today: Mapping the architectural history of Chinatown, and toxic smoke damage deepens insurance nightmare after LA fires.

Zohran Mamdani during an election night event in New York, on June 25.

Photographer: Christian Monterrosa/Bloomberg

In a major upset, Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist, is poised to become the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor after defeating former governor Andrew Cuomo in Tuesday’s primary. Cuomo, who conceded Tuesday night, secured just 36.4% of first-round votes in the city’s ranked-choice system, compared to Mamdani’s 43.5%, according to preliminary results.

Mamdani, who rose from relative obscurity just a few months ago, ran on a progressive platform that may prove hard to deliver: a freeze on rents, free buses and higher taxes on wealthy residents and corporations. He’s also entertained ideas of closing streets to cars, lowering speed limits and bringing back year-round outdoor dining.