Zohran Mamdani has won the race for New York City mayor, according to Decision Desk HQ, ushering in a new era of progressive politics in the city and reigniting the debate over the Democratic Party’s future.
Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist, is poised to become the first millennial and first Muslim to lead New York City, after a campaign that pulled off one of the most stunning political upsets in recent memory. He defeated former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who mounted a long-shot independent bid after losing to Mamdani in the Democratic primary, and Republican Curtis Sliwa in his bid to succeed Mayor Eric Adams.
Mamdani focused heavily on affordability, pledging to freeze rent, establish city-owned grocery stores and make buses free for riders. He quickly became a progressive icon as well as a polarizing figure within the party over his positions, so much so that it divided prominent New York Democratic leadership over whether to endorse him.
Kinda expected. He was the only good option
This is what happens when you have rank choice voting. A democracy where progressive win.
NYC has rank choice??
Anyone know if Cuomo would have won without ranked choice? That’s possible to tell right, by just counting up first picks?
Mamdani also won a plurality of the total votes so even by FPTP standards Mamdani won.
I 100% agree though that having a Ranked Choice style ballot opened up the door for someone like Mamdani though and would do the same for other progressives.
Honestly election reform should be the absolute highest priority in this country. Everything will trickle down from there. Sadly, too many people are caught up in the symptoms to see the disease.