Ugandan-born Zohran Mamdani, 34, becomes NYC’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor, defeating veteran Andrew Cuomo
Mamdani’s platform includes free transit, child care, and rent freezes — funded by higher taxes on corporations and the rich
Backed by billionaires and even endorsed by the President, Cuomo ran as an independent but lost by nine percentage points
Support came not just from working-class boroughs but also affluent areas like the Upper West Side and the Village
Mamdani must win over a legislature dominated by mainstream Democrats and avoid driving businesses out of the city
Wins by moderate Democrats in Virginia, New Jersey, and California show the Left’s rise coexists with centrist resilience