Zohran Mamdani, member of Ugandan rap duo, Young Cardamom, has won the first round of voting in the Democratic primary for the New York mayor elections.
Ugandan rapper, Zohran Mamdani, a member of the New York State Assembly, has emerged victorious in the Democratic primary for New York City’s mayoral race, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo by a wide margin in the first round of voting.
Early Wednesday, Mamdani shared a celebratory message on social media, quoting Nelson Mandela: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” He added, “My friends, it is done. And you are the ones who did it. I’m deeply honoured to be your Democratic nominee for Mayor of New York City.”
According to preliminary vote counts, Mamdani garnered 43.5% of the vote, outpacing Cuomo’s 36.4%. His campaign saw strong support in Queens, Brooklyn, and large sections of Manhattan, while Cuomo led in the Bronx and Staten Island.
Once relatively unknown, Mamdani rose to prominence as a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, gaining momentum amid national political turbulence following President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
