Mamdani on his final campaign trail along the streets of New York city
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Zohran Kwame Mamdani, who was born in Uganda to Indian parents, is poised to win the New York Mayoral race, exit polls have revealed.
Assemblyman Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, immigrated to the U.S. as a child, and represents Queens’ 36th district in the New York State Assembly since 2021, is leading the polls with a comfortable lead.
The 34-year-old Mamdani, who has kept his Ugandan citizenship, could become New York City’s first Muslim mayor and the first of Indian descent.
On the final day of voting as he faces Republican Curtis Sliwa and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent, Mamdani is way ahead of them.
More than 735,000 New Yorkers cast early ballots ahead of Tuesday’s mayoral election, marking the highest early in-person turnout ever for a nonpresidential election in New York.
Early results show that four times as many people voted early in this year’s mayoral race than in 2021. Among them are the more than 107,000 voters who registered for the first time this year, a sizable number of them, young voters.
Mamdani (R) with his opponents former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa during a televised debate recently
Mamdani’s supporters tend to be younger, while former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has more support among older voters. Its however worth noting that both candidates have a significant share of support in older age brackets. In a New York Times/Siena poll in September, Mamdani led Cuomo, 73 percent to 10 percent, with likely voters under 30. Among voters 65 and older, they were tied.
Sunday, the final day of early voting, saw about 151,000 early voters, the most of any day since the polls opened. The day also saw more voters under 35 than in the first weekend combined, according to data from the city’s Board of Elections.
However, more recent polls have shown that Cuomo has a slight advantage among voters in their 50s, 60s and older, while Curtis Sliwa does well among the oldest voters.
A former hip-hop artist known as Mr. Cardamom, he rose through activism into politics as a Democratic Socialist, to appeal to young voters much more than any other.
Only days before the final election, Mamdani was leading Cuomo by 8-12 points. His victory, almost confirmed now, would mark a generational shift in America’s largest city.
Trump’s opposition
On many occasions, US President Donald Trump has aired his opposition to Mamdani’s candidature, to the post of threatening to cut off federal funding to New York city.
The President recently said that if he had to choose between Mamdani, a democratic socialist, and Cuomo, a Democrat running as an independent, he would support Cuomo.
In response, Mamdani said that Cuomo would not stand up to the president if elected, adding that what New Yorkers are so desperate to see in their own city and what they find in themselves and their neighbors every day, a city that believes in the dignity of everyone who calls this place home.
Obama endorsement
Barack Obama, the former U.S. President had a few days ago praised Mamdani, in a 30-minute phone call. He called his campaign marvelous.
The private conversation, confirmed by Mamdani’s campaign office, included discussions on staffing a new administration, tackling affordability, and a potential in-person meeting in Washington.
Obama, who was himself fathered by a Kenyan, told Mamdani that he has invested in the latter’s success beyond the election, since he has followed him after he defeated Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic party primary.
Mamdani reportedly admires Obama’s stance on race as inspiration for his addresses on Islamophobia and has framed his affordability agenda. His platform champions universal healthcare, police reform, and Palestinian rights-positions that energize young and minority voters but alarm moderates and pro-Israel groups.
“New York can believe again,” Mamdani roared, marking the end of a frenetic five-month general election campaign.
The final vote count would most likely bring a smile on the faces of thousands of Mamdani’s fans around Uganda and globally as well.
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