The high-stakes contest pitting Zohran Mamdani against Andrew Cuomo is a statement on the future of the Democratic Party. This one of the most closely contested elections in New York's recent history.
After numerous twists and turns Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams withdrew from running for re-electionand later supported Cuomo (although he previously called him a “liar and a snake”). Influential New York Republicans have called on their party's candidate, Curtis Sliwa, to resign to improve Cuomo's chances.
A constant is Mamdani's double-digit lead over Cuomo in the polls. Beneath these numbers is a deeper fight: a referendum on what kind of party Democrats want — one led by progressive populists like Mamdani or one reclaimed by figures like Cuomo seeking to revitalize the center.
The controversial democratic socialist headed into the election with legions of volunteers, a hard-left rent-freedom platform and the support of many establishment Democrats in the state. In his final stretch, he campaigned around the clock, appearing in churches and talking to workers at airports, hospitals and ports. He continued to link Cuomo to President Donald Trump, who said Sunday night that he was banking on the former governor in the race.
Andrew Cuomo's campaign is for the billionaires of Donald Trump and their associates
Mamdani said last week in the Bronx.
Mamdani appears to be on the verge of running the country's largest city as its first Muslim mayor and one of the few elected members of the Democratic Socialists of America to high office.
Zohran Mamdani casts his vote in the mayoral elections. New York, November 4, 2025Peter Foley/UPI Photo via Newscom / PAP
If he wins, the 34-year-old state legislator will be under the microscope. Mamdani will be scrutinized across the country for how he delivers on his promise to make New York more affordable, how he faces a hostile Trump administration and how it will affect Democrats' chances of winning a majority in the House of Representatives in the middle of the term.
“He's at war with moderate Democrats like me.”
Still, Cuomo is clinging to any signs that he could pull off a surprising victory. In the last stage of the campaign, he attacked Mamdani with even greater force, describing him as inexperienced and dangerous to the city. Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg also backed Cuomo, who is seeking political redemption after he was forced to resign four years ago amid sexual harassment allegations. Bloomberg donated over $8 million. [ok. 30 mln zł] for his campaign.
“We have a civil war in the Democratic Party where the extreme radical left like Mamdani is at war with moderate Democrats like me,” Cuomo told reporters last week in south Brooklyn, where he accepted the endorsement of a legislator while seeking Republican support. — There is a battle raging for the future of New York City.
In the June primary, Mamdani defeated Cuomo by nearly 13 points. forcing the former governor to run in the general election as an independent candidate. He campaigned hard to win, but it's doubtful he'll win a majority of the vote — and a mandate big enough to implement policies that would ease the burden on working-class families in one of the world's most expensive cities.
In June Mamdani became famous overnight thanks to the shocking balance of power among Democrats. Now he is both adored and reviled as the future of the party – a savior for some, a phantom for others.
Progressives, including Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, are inspired by how Mamdani prioritized economic justice and used his charisma and social media prowess to expand his base. In turn, Republicans are preparing spots attacking him, linking Mamdani – who quoted Karl Marx and is a harsh critic of Israel – even with those Democrats who want nothing to do with him. Those in between, including moderates and party leaders, are nervous about what comes next.
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— Zohran Mamdani is the future of the democratic socialist party, not the Democratic Party, says Rep. Tom Suozzi, who recently endorsed Cuomo. — Democrats must address the real economic insecurity Americans feel by returning to our roots as the party of the middle class and those who aspire to be middle class.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said that he doesn't believe Mamdani is the future of the party. But when he endorsed Mamdani in a terse statement late in the campaign, House Speaker Mike Johnson lashed out at him.
“House Democrats have chosen the side they were forced to take by the far left they fear so much, and they have shown the world what they really believe in,” Johnson said in Washington. — There is no longer room for centrists and moderates in their party.
“We want many futures”
Mamdani's supporters in New York, including Gov. Kathy Hochul and City Controller Brad Lander, believe the Democratic Party's “tent” is large enough to accommodate socialists, but they avoid presenting Mamdani as the way forward for the party.
“The Democratic Party has a bright future if it finds leaders who will fight for working people,” Lander says. — We want many futures, many models throughout the country. And yes, one of them is Zohran Mamdani.
Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez held a rally with Mamdani, who almost filled the 13,000-seat stadium in Queens under the slogan “New York is not for sale”. Ocasio-Cortez also used her popularity to the candidate's advantage.
Senator Bernie Sanders, Zohran Mamdani and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez during a rally at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens. New York, October 26, 2025PAP/EPA/SARAH YENESEL / PAP
“It is no coincidence that the forces Zohran Mamdani is fighting in New York mirror what we are fighting at home,” she wrote in a recent email encouraging supporters to donate to Mamdani. “An authoritarian, criminal presidency fueled by corruption, bigotry and a growing right-wing extremist movement, and an insufficient, debilitated, a bygone political establishment that this time took the form of Andrew Cuomo“.
Al Sharpton, a civil rights leader who acted as an intermediary between the Jeffries and Mamdani camps, predicts that Mamdani — if elected — he will address both those who supported and those who did not support his candidacy.
“I think those who didn't support him should come together, and I think he's a generous enough person to welcome them,” Sharpton emphasizes. — If this city is to function, people must be united.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
