On November 5, the curtain fell on a remarkably well-executed political campaign as New York witnessed the historic election of its first-ever Muslim South Asian mayor. Watch parties surfaced across all five boroughs, pulsing with celebratory music, jubilation, and a sense of endless possibilities. The city itself seemed to hum with electric energy. The air, undeniably different, charged with the promise of something new.
At a time when voter turnout and overall faith in politics have been at record lows, 34-year-old democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, a Queens native and the son of Ugandan-Indian immigrants, has emerged as a ray of hope, not only for New Yorkers but progressives all over the world.
His win signifies a new era for reformists, younger voters, and immigrant communities who poured their hearts out into his campaign, canvassing neighbourhoods, phone-banking, and donating generously. Nearly 70 per cent of his voter base was under the age of 30.
“Seeing someone who shares similar values, background, and culture in a position of power feels very grounding and affirming. It shows that we belong here and that our voices matter,” said Dr Sayali Karke, 27, a medical professional and an immigrant from India.
The mayoral election drew more than two million voters — a turnout last seen in 1969, according to the city’s Board of Elections, when 2.46 million people came out to vote for incumbent Mayor John Lindsay, who, after losing the Republican primary, was reelected on the Liberal line.
Mamdani’s meteoric rise over the past year — from a lesser-known assemblyman to now the 111th mayor of New York, defeating well-established rivals such as former governor Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa in both the Democratic primary and the general election — is nothing short of monumental.
He’s coming for Trump and we’re here for it
Running on a platform of progressive politics, Mamdani has pledged to prioritise five key policies: universal free childcare, a rent freeze on the city’s one million rent-stabilised apartments, rebuilding ties with his critics, reimagining the police department, and standing up to President Donald Trump’s attacks on the city.
In his first speech as mayor, Mamdani addressed the president directly.
“This is not how we stop Trump; this is how we stop the next one. So, Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: turn the volume up,” declared Mamdani, eliciting thunderous applause.
A historic day indeed, to see a Muslim politician challenge the president of the United States on the world’s stage.
And Trump was, in fact, watching. “AND SO IT BEGINS!”, he responded on his Truth Social platform.
Mamdani now faces significant challenges as mayor in reconciling his ambitious agenda with the realities of governance amid deep political hostility and division. Trump has already launched a slew of scornful attacks on social media and threatened to halt federal funds to New York City.
“If Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the Election for Mayor of New York City, it is highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Aside from the fact that Mamdani has clarified on multiple occasions that he is not a communist but a democratic socialist, the president does not have the authority to withhold federal funds from states. Under the US Constitution, that power lies with Congress.
When Islamophobia met its match
The scourge of Islamophobia presents yet another battle Mamdani and his Muslim supporters will continue to encounter. His campaign team, which included many Muslim staffers, endured harassment and discrimination but continued to press forward with unwavering resolve.
“I was canvassing outside a mosque in Brooklyn, handing out fliers, when a group of young white men walked past, hurling Islamophobic insults because I was wearing a keffiyeh,” recalled a resident of Brooklyn, Zarah Shujjah, who is also an immigrant. “That incident gave me more conviction that we need a Muslim mayor. So, I showed up again the next day, and the next, and the next.”
Throughout the campaign, Mamdani’s candidacy endured waves of racially charged attacks, from criticisms about his lack of experience to outright anti-Muslim slurs. Ellie Cohanim, a former deputy envoy in the first Trump Administration, posted a picture of the burning Twin Towers from September 11, 2001, captioned: “Never forget …. Vote Andrew Cuomo & save our city”. The New York Post ran headlines that conflated Mamdani with terrorism, and Cuomo himself engaged in Islamophobic remarks in an interview with the conservative radio host Sid Rosenberg.
As Islamophobia persists across the United States, Muslim Americans finally feel a sense of solace and pride knowing that when Mamdani is sworn in on January 1, he will be the most powerful Muslim elected official in the country.
“It’s shocking that I have seen a Muslim mayor in my 20s. It feels like a response to the polarising state of the country. We’re going to see more Trumps and Kirks pop up, but we’ll also see more Mamdanis. That’s both exciting and concerning. It’s a reality that represents the current state of US politics,” said Maria Mir, who moved to Brooklyn from Pakistan.
The line between hope and hype
While it’s tempting, and often politically useful, to glorify a newly elected leader in an age of virality, such adulation should be seen with caution. The internet has a way of turning people into symbols, often faster than they can grow into the roles those symbols demand.
Elevating a figure as esteemed as Mamdani creates expectations: promises made on the campaign trail become moral contracts with voters, and supporters rightly expect those contracts to be honoured. It will be important to hold him accountable to his commitments and to the faith of those who propelled him to victory.
That said, accountability and optimism for change are not mutually exclusive. Transitioning from campaigner to the daily grind of city leadership is a radical shift — from setting agendas to balancing budgets and operating within institutional constraints. In a city long dominated by wealth and entrenched interests, the odds are stacked against him. He must be afforded the leeway to falter as he transitions to his new role.
Yet, for now, New Yorkers, and many others around the world can revel in this renewed sense of faith and watch as new beginnings start to unfold.
Header image: Democratic candidate for New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani waves on stage after winning the 2025 New York City Mayoral race, at an election night rally in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, New York, US, November 4, 2025. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
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