Zohran Mamdani, a member of Ugandan rap duo Young Cardamom, won the first round of the Democratic primary in the New York mayoral election.
Ugandan rapper, New York State Councilman Zohran Mamdani, won the Democratic primary in the New York City Mayor Competition, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo by a big margin in the first round of voting.
Earlier Wednesday, Mamdani shared a celebration message on social media, citing Nelson Mandela: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” He added, “This is done, my friends. You are that kind of person. I’m honored to be a Democratic candidate for mayor of New York City.”
According to the preliminary vote count, Mamdani received 43.5% of the vote, surpassing Cuomo’s 36.4%. His campaign has strong support in Queens, Brooklyn and much of Manhattan, while Cuomo leads the Bronx and Staten Island.
Once relatively unknown, Mamdani was outstanding as a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, gaining momentum in national political turmoil after President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
