Zohran Mamdani’s win in NYC mayor race greeted with cheers and also some fear

Zohran Mamdani historic victory in NYC’s mayoral race on Tuesday was greeted with elation, help — and a few worry.

The groundbreaking mayor-elect drew reward from supporters who mentioned so his victory mirrored his inspiring message of generational change and tireless marketing campaign concentrate on affordability.

“Our mission is to elect the fiercest fighters for the working class,” mentioned Rep. Alexandria Ocasio. “In New York Metropolis, it’s undoubtedly Zohran Mamdani… We’ve a future to struggle for collectively.”

Governor Hochul promised to work intently with Mamdani after calling him on election night time.

“I stay up for working collectively to make our metropolis extra reasonably priced and livable,” Hochul tweeted. “Congratulations to him and to each New Yorker who made their voices heard in one of many highest-turnout elections ever.”

Senator Chuck Schumer, who declined to endorse Mamdani earlier than Election Day, congratulated the brand new mayor on “his well-deserved and historic victory.”

“Mamdani has elevated the values ​​that make our metropolis robust: equality of alternative, equity and a permanent concern for all New Yorkers,” Schumer mentioned in a press release.

With a near-record turnout, Mamdani, 34, defeated ex-governor. Andreas Cuomo in a repeat of his victory within the Democratic main, with Republican Curtis Sliwa far behind.

President Trump’s endorsement of Cuomo on the eve of Election Day might have damage greater than helped a metropolis electorate that disapproves of the president’s performance in keeping with exit polls with a margin of 70% to 30%.

Trump didn’t point out Mamdani in his first response after the upstart candidate’s victory and denied that the outcomes throughout the nation quantity to a repudiation of him.

“Trump not attending the vote and the federal government shutdown had been the 2 causes Republicans misplaced,” he wrote on his Fact Social platform, citing unnamed political analysts.

Ex-mayor Invoice De Blasio praised Mamdani, who will turn out to be the Huge Apple’s first Muslim mayor, for returning “with humility” to locations he misplaced within the primaries, comparable to Latino neighborhoods within the Bronx and black communities in Brooklyn and Queens.

“What a ravishing day for New York,” the previous mayor tweeted.

However critics sounded involved in regards to the impression a Mayor Mamdani would have on town.

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, lashed out at Mamdani’s “lengthy, troubling report on problems with deep concern to the Jewish neighborhood,” a reference to the the mayor-elect’s fierce criticism of Israel and his refusal to resign the slogan ‘globalize the intifada’.

“We’ll face the subsequent 4 years with dedication,” Greenblatt mentioned in a press release. “We anticipate the mayor of town with the most important Jewish inhabitants on this planet to talk out unequivocally in opposition to anti-Semitism in all its totally different kinds.”

Even in deep blue New York Metropolis, Mamdani had no simple time unifying the management of the Democratic Celebration afterward he defeated Cuomo within the June primaries.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the chief of the Democratic Celebration within the Home of Representatives, dithered for months, refusing to situation a press release of help for the social gathering’s standard-bearer even after assembly with the nominee together with different lawmakers and religion leaders in Jeffries’ central Brooklyn district.

Jeffries finally solely supported Mamdani hours before a self-appointed deadline from the beginning of early voting.

Schumer, the Senate Minority Chief, never endorsed Mamdani at all. A number of different native members of Congress had been additionally within the race.

The state’s different prime Democrat, Governor Hochul, did in order effectively support Mamdani’s offer in the summertime, maybe trying to shore up her personal help on the left forward of her re-election struggle subsequent 12 months.

A handful of Democratic lawmakers within the suburbs, like Lengthy Island Rep. Tom Suozzi and Rep. Lauren Gillen, even took the extremely uncommon step of claiming they would not vote for him.

The Republicans did every part they might to make Mamdani the president face of the Democratic Party as subsequent 12 months’s essential midterm congressional elections loom.

Even earlier than voters went to the polls, the Nationwide Republican Congressional Committee declared in a method memo that “the Democratic Celebration has been hijacked by the novel left.”

However not all Democrats are serious about Mamdani will bring the party down from coast to coast.

Basil Smikle, a Columbia College professor and Democratic strategist, acknowledged that New York Metropolis has a really totally different electoral roadmap than elsewhere, however emphasised the keenness that Mamdani has dropped at the desk could play elsewhere.

“What’s occurring in New York might be mapped throughout the nation,” Smikle mentioned. “If this new coalition can strengthen itself, not solely in New York Metropolis, but additionally in Virginia and New Jersey, I feel this can be a path ahead for Democrats in ’26 and ’28.”

Former Rep. Steve Israel, a Democrat who as soon as represented a swing district on Lengthy Island, mentioned he disagrees with a few of Mamdani’s insurance policies however is optimistic about his impression on nationwide politics.

“Here is the excellent news: I like a Democratic Celebration that has somebody like Zohran Mamdani, a generational expertise in voter turnout… and creating vitality within the streets,” Israel mentioned.