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Socialist Muslim Projected to Win in Democratic Primary for NYC Mayor; UPDATE: Cuomo Concedes to Mamdani

Sarah Arnold
Sarah Arnold  |  June 24, 2025 10:40 PM

Update: Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has conceded the New York City Democratic Mayoral primary to radical Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani.


***Original Post***

Polls have closed in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, and early results are turning heads. Far-left Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani—known for his ties to radical Muslim groups and vocal criticism of America’s key ally, Israel—is currently in the lead, with former Governor Andrew Cuomo ultimately conceding to him.

According to the NYC Board of Elections, more than 930,000 New Yorkers had checked in to vote by 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. However, with hundreds of thousands of Election Day votes still uncounted and ranked-choice voting delaying a final result, it could be days before we know the outcome. Cuomo, who governed the state with a firmer hand before stepping down in scandal, may still have a shot at a comeback if late-breaking votes skew more moderate. Just 20 minutes after the polls closed, early results showed Mamdani in the lead with 43.1 percent of the vote, followed by Cuomo at 34.5 percent, and Brad Lander trailing in third with 12.9 percent. 

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With over 70 percent of the vote counted, Mamdani holds an 8-point advantage over Cuomo, leading by more than 60,000 votes. It's a surprising turn in the race, as Mamdani—a Democratic Socialist—outperformed Cuomo, who had dominated the polls for months and secured backing from much of the Democratic Party establishment. 

Nearly an hour after the polls closed, Democratic strategist Jon Paul Lupo suggested Cuomo is likely too far behind Mamdani to catch up. 

“The gap is too big to close,” he noted, predicting that ranked-choice voting won’t help Cuomo, since many of Lander’s supporters are expected to list Mamdani as their next choice due to the candidates' cross-endorsement. 

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) blamed Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) and the New York Democratic Party’s failed leadership for the likely victory of Mamdani, whom she calls a radical, anti-police, communist, and antisemitic candidate. She accused Hochul and the party of embracing Marxism, antisemitism, anti-capitalism, and insanity, claiming their policies—like sanctuary laws, defunding the police, and high taxes—are ruining the city, burdening hardworking residents with ineffective, bloated government.

Political commentator Tomi Lahren warned that if New York City elects an Islamic socialist mayor, it would be a disastrous, potentially fatal blow to the city’s future.