Communist Zohran Mamdani Projected to Win New York City Mayoral Race

Hamas-praising Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani is projected to win the New York City mayoral race, according to Decision Desk HQ, marking a frightening new epoch in the city’s history and sparking renewed debate over the Democratic Party’s direction.

At 34, Mamdani, a democratic socialist who quotes Karl Marx and praised indicted Hamas supporters as a rapper, is set to become the first millennial and first Muslim mayor of New York City.

His campaign produced one of the most surprising political upsets in recent memory, defeating former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent after losing the Democratic primary, and Republican Curtis Sliwa in the race to succeed Mayor Eric Adams.

Mamdani campaigned heavily on extreme anti Israel rhetoric, affordability, promising to freeze rent, launch city-owned grocery stores, and making buses free for riders.

Mamdani faced criticism for not condemning the phrase “globalize the intifada.” While Mamdani himself has not used the term, pro-Israel activists warned it could incite violence against Jews and Zionists, as it refers to waves of deadly terror attacks in Israel over three decades.

Mamdani also faced criticism over past comments criticizing the police and advocating defunding, though he later issued a public apology to the New York Police Department during a Fox News interview.

Despite Cuomo receiving endorsements from prominent Democrats both within and outside the state during the primary, his campaign was burdened by past controversies. In 2021, Cuomo resigned as governor.

Cuomo was likely also hindered by Sliwa’s continued presence in the race. Even after Adams dropped out and endorsed Cuomo, Sliwa maintained a double-digit share of votes, effectively acting as a spoiler and benefiting Mamdani.

In the campaign’s final days, Cuomo received an unlikely endorsement from President Trump, a move that did little to boost his standing in the heavily Democratic city.

According to new reports, Mamdani’s campaign was funded largely by Muslim groups, and included a large amount of out-of-state support, even illegal donations from overseas, only some of which were returned.

Mamdani’s victory will likely intensify discussions over whether he represents the Democratic Party’s future amid the ongoing divide between its progressive wing and the more moderate, establishment-aligned faction led by figures such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who did not endorse him.