By Sabiu Abdullahi
The Democratic Party has recorded sweeping victories in the first major elections of President Donald Trump’s second term, as 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani emerged winner of the New York City mayoral race.
The results from Tuesday’s polls gave Democrats a strong boost heading into next year’s midterm elections, with major wins across Virginia, New Jersey, and California.
In New York, Mamdani, a democratic socialist and long-time advocate for Palestinian rights, defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa to become the first Muslim and the first person of South Asian descent to serve as mayor of America’s largest city.
In his victory speech, Mamdani told supporters, “We will build a city hall that stands steadfast alongside Jewish New Yorkers, and does not waver in the fight against the scourge of antisemitism.”
He also pledged a bold reform agenda, saying, “This will be an age where New Yorkers expect from their leaders a bold vision of what we will achieve, rather than a list of excuses for what we are too timid to attempt. Central to that vision will be the most ambitious agenda to tackle the cost of living crisis that this city has seen since the days of fear of LaGuardia.”
Mamdani promised rent freezes for over two million tenants, free bus services, universal childcare, and new community safety programs to address homelessness and mental health challenges.
He also addressed President Trump directly, declaring, “Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you. Turn the volume up.”
The newly elected mayor said his administration would defend marginalized groups, adding, “Whether you are an immigrant, a member of the trans community, one of the many Black women that Donald Trump has fired from a federal job, a single mom still waiting for the cost of groceries to go down, or anyone else with their back against the wall, your struggle is ours too.”
Mamdani’s rise has not been without controversy. Israel’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, described his victory as “a disgraceful example of how antisemitism triumphed over common sense.”