Zohran Mamdani Leads NYC Mayoral Primary as Cuomo Concedes: ‘Tonight Is His Night’

“Tonight belongs to him,” said former Governor Cuomo, as progressive State Representative Zohran Mamdani topped the first round of vote counting.

Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic Socialist, appears on track to win the Democratic primary for New York City mayor, setting the stage to potentially become the city’s first Muslim mayor. While final results may take several days, early numbers from Tuesday night point to a strong lead.

With 91% of first-choice votes counted, State Rep. Mamdani had secured 43.5% of the vote. Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, once considered the clear frontrunner, trailed at 36.4% and conceded the race Tuesday evening. Speaking at a campaign rally, Cuomo acknowledged Mamdani’s strong showing, saying he ran a “smart, effective, and inspiring campaign.”

“Tonight is his night. He earned it. He won,” Cuomo said.

Progressive NYC Comptroller Brad Lander was in third place with 11.4%. Since no candidate is expected to cross the 50% threshold, New York’s ranked-choice voting system means election officials will now begin counting voters’ second-choice preferences. Mamdani, who had cross-endorsed Lander just last week, is expected to benefit from those additional votes more than Cuomo.

Mamdani’s unexpected surge is seen as a clear rebuke to the Democratic establishment and a hopeful sign for progressives eyeing races across the country. Cuomo had the backing of wealthy donors and prominent centrists, including former President Bill Clinton. But Mamdani, buoyed by grassroots support—particularly from younger voters—managed to close the gap in recent weeks.

Cuomo told reporters he had called Mamdani to congratulate him. “He ran a brilliant campaign. He connected with young people, inspired them, energized them, and got them to show up and vote,” Cuomo said. “I genuinely respect that.”

Despite conceding, Cuomo hinted he might still run in the general election this November as an independent. “I want to take some time to analyze things and talk to a few colleagues,” he told The New York Times.

Given New York’s heavily Democratic voter base and the current mayor Eric Adams’ deep unpopularity, Mamdani would likely be the favorite to become the city’s 111th mayor. The NYC mayoral race is being closely watched across the country, as it presents two sharply different visions of the Democratic Party—one represented by moderate Cuomo, and the other by progressive Mamdani.

Former three-term Governor Andrew Cuomo had resigned in disgrace following multiple sexual harassment allegations. Despite that, he entered the mayoral race with significant name recognition and early momentum, at one point leading Mamdani by 30 points in initial polls. However, a recent survey released on Monday showed that after several rounds of ranked-choice vote counting, Mamdani had overtaken Cuomo.

Mamdani campaigned on a bold progressive agenda, including rent stabilization and making citywide bus service free. Despite far less mainstream media coverage than his rivals, his campaign gained momentum online and on the ground. He was endorsed at a massive June rally by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and also backed by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

In contrast, Cuomo kept a low profile—avoiding large rallies and appearing mostly in union halls and tightly controlled settings. As the race tightened, his campaign and affiliated super PACs—some funded by Republican billionaires—turned their full attention to attacking Mamdani, pouring millions into TV ads and mailers. According to The New York Times, Cuomo benefited from over $25 million in outside spending, a record for NYC primaries.

Early voting in New York began on June 14. By Sunday, over 380,000 people had cast early ballots—more than double the early turnout in the 2021 primary. Despite scorching heat on Tuesday—temperatures hit 100°F (38°C)—voter turnout remained strong, with CBS New York reporting that over 1 million people likely voted.

While winning the primary doesn’t guarantee Mamdani the mayorship, in a city where registered Democrats far outnumber Republicans, it puts him in a very strong position. Current mayor Eric Adams, who won in 2021 as a Democrat but is now running as an independent, is deeply unpopular. Last year, Adams was accused of accepting bribes and foreign campaign contributions