New York Democrats Back Radical Socialist Mamdani for Mayor

Zohran Mamdani, a state assemblyman and self-described democratic socialist, has become the front-runner to become the Democratic Party's nominee for New York City mayor in 2025.

Mamdani, who aligns with the progressive wing of the party, defeated former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the first round of the ranked choice primary election on Tuesday.

A 33-year-old Muslim born in Uganda and raised in New York City, Mamdani is married to Brooklyn-based Syrian artist Rama Duwaji, 27. They met on the dating app Hinge, BBC reported.

Mamdani's stances on key issues include the following:

Illegal migrants: He promises to "strengthen" the sanctuary city by prohibiting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from all city facilities and ending any cooperation with ICE, increasing legal support for illegal migrants, and protecting all personal data, according to his official website.

LGBTQIA+: He promises to make NYC an LGBTQIA+ sanctuary city and protect abortion rights. A Mamdani administration will protect LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers by expanding and protecting trans care citywide and creating the Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs.

Public transportation: Mamdani promises free city bus travel and will rapidly build priority bus lanes.

Minimum wage: Mamdani will champion a new local law bringing the NYC wage floor up to $30/hour by 2030.

City-owned grocery stores: Mamdani promises to create a network of city-owned grocery stores, which would not pay rent or property taxes and would buy and sell goods at wholesale prices. The stores also will centralize warehousing and distribution and partner with local neighborhoods on products and sourcing.

Israel: Mamdani has long been a vocal critic of the Israeli government and its treatment of Palestinians, The New York Times reported. However, he also has stated there is no room for antisemitism in New York City, adding he would increase funding to combat hate crimes.

Small businesses: Mamdani will appoint a mom-and-pop czar to oversee the cutting of small-business fines in half, speeding up permitting and making online applications easier, and increase funding for 1:1 small-business support by 500%.

Taxes: Mamdani promises to raise the corporate tax rate to match New Jersey's 11.5% and tax New Yorkers earning above $1 million annually a flat 2% tax.

Rents: Mamdani promises to immediately freeze the rent for all stabilized tenants. He also plans to use every available resource to build needed housing.

Crime: Mamdani promises to create the Department of Community Safety, which will invest in citywide mental health programs and deploy dedicated outreach workers in 100 subway stations. It also will provide medical services in vacant commercial units and utilize transit ambassadors to assist New Yorkers on their journeys and increase funding to hate violence prevention programs by 800%.

Free child care: Mamdani will implement free child care for every New Yorker ages 6 weeks to 5 years. He also promises to increase wages for child care workers to be at parity with public school teachers.

Baby baskets: Mamdani promises to provide new parents and guardians with a collection of essential goods and resources, free of charge, including items like diapers, baby wipes, nursing pads, post-partum pads, swaddles and books, according to his official website.

Green schools: Mamdani's Green Schools for a Healthier New York City will renovate 500 public schools with renewable energy infrastructure and HVAC upgrades, transform 500 asphalt schoolyards into vibrant green spaces, create 15,000 union jobs, and build resilience hubs in 50 schools that provide resources and safe spaces during emergencies.

Affordable housing: Mamdani promises to triple the city's production — 200,000 new units over the next 10 years — of permanently affordable, union-built, rent-stabilized homes. Affordable housing generally is defined as housing where the occupant spends no more than 30% of their gross income on housing costs, including utilities. Mamdani also promises to create a comprehensive plan to create "a holistic vision for affordability, equity and growth" and address "the legacy of racially discriminatory zoning."

Crackdown on bad landlords: Mamdani promises to make sure city agencies work together to hold owners responsible for the conditions of their buildings. If a landlord refuses to make a repair, the city will do it and send them the bill. In extreme cases, the city will take control of the properties.

Legal issues: Mamdani will protect workers and ensure current laws are enforced by increasing the budgets of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection and the Commission on Human Rights and "muscling up" the city's Law Department.