【By Observer Net, Qi Qian】
“Capitalist Metropolis” New York has welcomed a new mayor who calls himself a “democratic socialist.”
According to the Associated Press and The New York Times, on November 4 local time, the results of the mayoral election in New York City were announced. 34-year-old Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani defeated his opponent, former governor Cuomo, with over 50% of the vote, successfully elected as the new mayor of New York City. Cuomo ran as an independent candidate and was recently endorsed by U.S. President Trump.
This is Mamdani's second victory over Cuomo; previously, he defeated this former New York State Governor with a decisive majority in the June Democratic primary.
Snapshot from The New York Times
Thus, Mamdani is about to make history, becoming the youngest mayor in New York City since the 19th century, the city's first Muslim mayor and first South Asian mayor, and also the first naturalized immigrant to hold the mayoral position in the United States since the 1970s. He has completed one of the most remarkable political comebacks in New York's history, which also means that a "democratic socialist" will soon take over the New York City Hall.
The organization "Democratic Socialists of America" (DSA), which Mamdani belongs to, stated that his successful election is a "victory for the working class."
The New York Times pointed out that Mamdani received widespread support from voters dissatisfied with the soaring cost of living and politicians plagued by scandals, and has become a strong voice for New Yorkers, winning by a large margin in an election with over two million voters. It is noted that this is the highest voter turnout in New York City municipal elections since 1969.
The Associated Press reported that on the same day, Democratic candidates won victories in the gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia. Among them, Democrat Abigail Spanberger defeated her opponent and became the first female governor of Virginia.
"The Democrats have won three major electoral victories, weakening the Trump coalition," wrote the U.S. media The Wall Street Journal.
Mamdani Challenges Trump: I Know You're Watching
"My friends, we have overthrown a political dynasty," in his victory speech on the evening of the 4th, Mamdani emphasized the core theme of his campaign: "Hope Still Exists." He said that the election results showed that the voters chose "hope instead of tyranny" and "hope instead of despair."
Mamdani has high expectations for his mayoral term. He will implement the most ambitious policy program, creating a brand-new city. He said, "We are breathing the air of a reborn city... Thank you to the new generation of New Yorkers, who refused to accept the idea that 'the promise of a better future has become the past.' He pointed out that youth votes were a key factor in his victory.
Victory Speech of Mamdani, Screenshot
"Donald Trump, I know you're watching, I just want to say four words to you: Turn up the volume," Mamdani addressed U.S. President Donald Trump, saying that he would firmly oppose the anti-immigrant policies of the Trump administration.
"New York will still be an immigrant city: a city built and driven by immigrants, and from tonight, this city will be led by an immigrant," Mamdani continued, "So, President Trump, listen to me: If you want to affect any of us, you must first beat all of us."
Mamdani admitted that he is young, Muslim, and a "democratic socialist," while stating, "I refuse to apologize for any of it."
On the evening of the 4th, Trump posted on the "Truth Social" platform: "...everything begins (…AND SO IT BEGINS)!" According to the Associated Press, Trump made this statement during Mamdani's speech, which was seen as a response to Mamdani.
The report said that on the streets of New York City, supporters of Mamdani watched his speech and held large-scale celebration activities.
Volunteer of Mamdani's campaign team, Waseem Choudhury told the Associated Press, "We know Trump will try every way to punish this city, but the people of New York have a 'fighting spirit,' 'we resisted the establishment and also resist the president.'"
New Yorkers celebrating Mamdani's victory on the evening of the 4th, Oriental IC
"It's a Victory for the Working Class"
It is introduced that Mamdani was born in Uganda, moved to New York with his family at the age of seven, and both of his parents are Indian. He is a member of the largest socialist organization in the United States, the "Democratic Socialists of America" (DSA), and has been a state legislator in New York since 2021.
Public data shows that DSA was founded in 1982, and has continuously expanded in recent years, with its members increasing from less than 5,000 in 2015 to more than 80,000 now. The organization now has branches in all states across the country and most major cities. In recent elections, several well-known political figures such as Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) received DSA endorsements when running for Congress.
"We believe that the working people should manage the economy and society democratically to meet human needs, rather than benefit a few," DSA emphasizes on the homepage of its official website.
In this mayoral election in New York City, Mamdani's agenda includes free city bus services, stable apartment rents, and opening government-owned supermarkets. He also promised to use the power of the New York Mayor to block the actions of the Trump administration against illegal immigrants, "to stop Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from expelling our neighbors."
On the issue of Israel and Palestine, Mamdani insists that Palestine should gain freedom, and the United States should not be an accomplice to Israel's "genocide." This view has also been attacked by the Trump administration and rival Cuomo, who criticized Mamdani for being "anti-Semitic."
"Mamdani's election as the mayor of New York City is a victory for the working class," DSA stated on the 4th, noting that despite the huge amounts of money spent by billionaires, New Yorkers "still achieved the most glorious electoral victory of the American socialist movement in the 20th century."
The statement said: "Mamdani's victory proves that the people have defeated the oligarchy; the working class has defeated big companies... This election proves that the idea of 'democratic socialism' is popular, and organized people can defeat the power of money." DSA said: "Our movement has won a decisive victory, but the real battle has just begun."
DSA placed Mamdani on the homepage of their website, DSA website
Why did Mamdani win? Media analysis...
"When Mamdani ran for office a year ago, his resume was thin, and he had almost no name recognition throughout the city."
The New York Times evaluated that although he focused on affordability, mastered social media, and had an optimistic attitude towards the future of New York, he sparked record-breaking voter turnout among young voters and immigrant groups, allowing him to surpass more experienced competitors.
Data shows that in an era where voter turnout is generally low, the participation in this New York City mayoral election was unusually high, with over 2 million New Yorkers participating. This number is almost twice the number of voters in the mayoral election four years ago (1.1 million). In some areas of Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan, the voter turnout approached the level of presidential elections.
The report mentioned that the campaign atmosphere was particularly intense in the last few weeks, filled with accusations of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. Cuomo and his allies were especially aggressive, accusing Mamdani of being "anti-Semitic" and spreading rumors to conservative voters by exploiting the fear of Mamdani's Muslim faith and foreign background.
However, these attacks did not work. According to the analysis, one of the main reasons for Mamdani winning over a million votes was that he built his own coalition. According to the vote data, he received support from minority groups such as African Americans and Latinos, and his vote share was far ahead in traditional religious constituencies such as Muslims and Jews.
The report specifically mentioned that during his campaign, Mamdani was frequently attacked by Trump. Trump had threatened that if Mamdani hindered ICE from cracking down on illegal immigration, he would be arrested.
As the election voting approached, seeing that Mamdani's support rate had opened up a double-digit gap with the second place, Trump became very anxious.
On the afternoon of the 3rd, Trump posted: "Whether you personally like Cuomo or not, you have no choice. You must vote for him and hope he does an excellent job." He added that Cuomo "has the ability to do so," while Mamdani "doesn't have this ability."
However, this move by Trump may backfire. Some Democratic voters said that after Trump endorsed, they voted for Mamdani. For some New Yorkers who opposed Trump, Trump's support reinforced Mamdani's portrayal of Cuomo as a puppet of the president.
"It's because of Trump for me," said 46-year-old Democratic voter Sheela Zhang from Flushing, who supported Mamdani.
73-year-old Jamaican resident Carmen Patrick also made the same consideration, "I said, 'No, that's it.' I don't want his henchman to become the mayor of New York."
This article is exclusive to Observer Net, and without permission, it cannot be reprinted.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7569148500417298950/
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