Muslim New Yorkers celebrate Zohran Mamdani’s historic victory
Muslim New Yorkers celebrated into the night after Zohran Mamdani won the city’s mayoral race, making history as the first Muslim and South Asian to lead America’s largest city
NEW YORK (AA) — Muslim New Yorkers celebrated into the night after Zohran Mamdani won the city’s mayoral race, making history as the first Muslim and South Asian to lead America’s largest city.
The 34-year-old Democratic socialist and state assemblyman from Queens defeated independent former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa in what analysts called one of the city’s biggest political upsets in years.
With over 50% of the vote and turnout surpassing two million ballots — the highest in three decades — Mamdani’s victory sparked street celebrations across neighborhoods like Astoria, where his grassroots campaign first began.
For many Muslim residents, the moment carried deep emotional weight.
“I am very excited about this election,” said Zamzam Ali, a Brooklyn resident celebrating outside a Yemeni café in Astoria. “Zohran Mamdani embodies the struggles that ordinary New Yorkers face — better living conditions, fair pay, affordable rent, and equality for all.”
Ali said the win holds personal significance for Muslims who have long faced discrimination in the post-9/11 era. “To see a Muslim become the mayor of the very city where Muslims were blamed and vilified — it’s phenomenal,” he said.
Mamdani’s campaign centered on affordability and social justice, pledging rent freezes, free buses, universal childcare, and city-run grocery stores. He also vowed to raise the minimum wage to $30 an hour by 2030 and increase taxes on corporations and millionaires to fund public programs.
“As a teacher, I think he has a lot of good policies to make education stronger and rent more affordable,” said Faizah, 31, who asked to be identified by her first name. “Rent is insane in New York City, so freezing it is a big deal. I think he’s for the people.”
Others described the win as transformative.
“We’re very proud of him,” said Badger Shahbain, a longtime friend of Mamdani. “This changes everything — the way he was able to win changes history. I truly believe he’ll do a great job.”
Speaking at his victory party at Brooklyn’s Paramount Theater, Mamdani thanked supporters and called for unity. “We will build a City Hall that stands steadfast alongside Jewish New Yorkers and where more than one million Muslims know they belong,” he said to thunderous applause. “No more will New York be a city where you can traffic in Islamophobia and win an election.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called Mamdani’s win a “historic turning point” for American Muslim political engagement. “Mamdani’s ability to win while openly advocating for Palestinian human rights and enduring a barrage of anti-Muslim hate marks a powerful rebuke of Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism in politics,” the group said.
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