Zohran Mamdani

Zohran Kwame Mamdani (born October 18, 1991) is an American politician who has served as the 112th mayor of New York City since 2026. A member of the Democratic Party and the Democratic Socialists of America, he represented the 36th district in the New York State Assembly from 2021 to 2025. Mamdani is New York City's first Muslim and first Asian American mayor. Born in Kampala, Uganda, to parents of Indian descent, Mamdani moved to New York City at seven years old and graduated from Bowdoin College in 2014 with a bachelor's degree in Africana studies. After graduation, he worked as a housing counselor and rapper, and entered New York City politics as a campaign manager for Khader El-Yateem and Ross Barkan. He was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020, defeating five-term incumbent Aravella Simotas in the Democratic primary. Representing Astoria and Long Island City, he was reelected without opposition in 2022 and 2024. In October 2024, Mamdani announced his candidacy for mayor of New York City in the 2025 mayoral election. A democratic socialist, Mamdani campaigned on a progressive, affordability-focused platform, supporting fare-free city buses, universal child care, city-owned grocery stores, a rent freeze on rent-stabilized units, additional affordable housing units, and a $30 minimum wage by 2030. He also expressed support for LGBTQ rights, comprehensive public safety reform, and tax increases on corporations and those earning above $1 million annually. He won the Democratic primary in June 2025, defeating former governor Andrew Cuomo in an upset, and was elected mayor in the November general election.