At a campaign event in the Upper East Side, Zohran Mamdani faced unprecedented attention from his supporters. Every step he took was interrupted by greetings and requests for selfies, making it difficult for him to move around.
Two young women, smiling, shared with him that they had followed him on Instagram. Mamdani, representing the Democratic Party, thanked them and belatedly posed for a selfie with one fan who was already waiting with a phone, as reported by the BBC.
Crowds of journalists followed his every move, capturing moments such as when he dashed into the street to shake hands with a taxi driver and shouted, "We’re with you, brother!".
With an impressive lead in the polls, 34-year-old Mamdani could make history as the youngest mayor of New York City in over a century, as well as the first Muslim and South Asian to hold the position. The election is expected to take place on Tuesday.
Just a few months ago, his name was relatively unknown, and his path to this moment has been unexpected: from a career in hip-hop and working as a housing consultant to serving as a member of the New York State Assembly and the leading candidate for mayor of the largest city in the U.S. with a budget of $116 billion.
Leading in the Election Race
Using viral videos and collaborating with popular bloggers and podcasters, Mamdani has managed to attract the attention of dissatisfied voters amid declining trust in the Democratic Party.
However, doubts arise regarding his ability to implement ambitious proposals and how an inexperienced politician will cope with potential pressure from the Trump administration.
His relationship with the party establishment is also complicated, as he becomes a prominent figure for left-wing Democrats.
Mamdani identifies as a democratic socialist, prioritizing the interests of workers over corporate ones. This position is similar to the politics of Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, with whom he often shares the stage.
Trump threatens to strip New York of federal funding if residents elect a "communist." In response, Mamdani stated that his approach is closer to the Scandinavian model, just with darker skin.
A victory for Mamdani would be seen as a rejection of traditional politics, as city residents face high living costs — his main issue.
His main opponent will be former governor Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent after losing the primary to Mamdani.
Cuomo accuses Mamdani of anti-business policies that could harm New York, claiming that he successfully stood up to Trump, while Mamdani calls his opponent a puppet of the president.
Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate, mocks both. In the latest debate, he stated: "Zohran, your resume would fit on a cocktail napkin. And Andrew, your failures could fill a library in New York."
[b]Plans for Rent Freeze and Free Buses
Mamdani emphasizes affordability and quality of life, promising a comprehensive childcare system, a freeze on rent in subsidized housing, free public buses, and city grocery stores.
His message resonates with New Yorkers tired of high prices.
"I support him because I work in housing law and see how living costs are rising," said Miles Ashton in an interview with the BBC before the debate, adding that "everyone wants an affordable city."
Funding for Mamdani's program is planned through new taxes on corporations and millionaires, which he claims will raise $9 billion, although some experts, including a libertarian from the Cato Institute, question his calculations. To implement new taxes, he will also need to gain support from the state assembly and Governor Kathy Hochul.
While she has expressed support for Mamdani, she stated that she is against raising income taxes. Nevertheless, she is willing to work with him on universal healthcare, which is an important part of his $5 billion budget program.
During a bus ride on the M57 across Manhattan to showcase his free bus plan, Mamdani told the BBC about the importance of accessibility in the Trump era.
"We need to realize that protecting democracy is not just about resisting authoritarianism, but also about ensuring the material needs of the working class are met," he noted, adding that this has not been achieved in New York.
Among those who told the BBC they would not vote for Mamdani, the main reasons were doubts about his ability to fund his program and a lack of experience.
[b]The Attitude of New York's Business Community
After Mamdani won the Democratic primary in June, many financial leaders on Wall Street were not enthusiastic. Some threatened to leave the city.
However, over time, the situation changed: panic subsided, and collaboration increased. Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, even offered his assistance in the event of Mamdani's election.
Developer Jeffrey Gural, who met with Mamdani, believes he lacks the experience to manage the largest city in the country. He fears that freezing rents will harm tenants, and taxes on the wealthy will drive away high-income residents.
Nevertheless, he supports Mamdani's plan for universal childcare, which is being implemented in his casino in upstate New York.
The change in attitude towards Mamdani after the primary occurred partly due to his efforts to respond to critics.
On October 14, Alexis Bittar, a jewelry designer who built a successful business, invited Mamdani and 40 businesspeople to his 1850s home in Brooklyn.
Among the guests were executives and business owners from the finance, fashion, and art industries. Most of them were either undecided or opposed to Mamdani.
The meeting discussed his business experience and ways to fund his program.
"I think he made a great impression," Bittar noted in an interview with the BBC. "His willingness to answer questions was impressive and thorough."
[b]Apologies to the Police
An important part of Mamdani's communication with critics has been his willingness to reconsider his views.
In 2020, after the murder of George Floyd, he called for defunding the police and labeled New York police officers as "racists." However, he later apologized and changed his position.
Public safety is a primary concern for Howard Wolfson, who worked for former mayor Michael Bloomberg and is now a strategist for the Democratic Party. Last month, he attended a meeting between Mamdani and Bloomberg, who spent $8 million on his campaign in an attempt to outmaneuver Mamdani.
Wolfson told the BBC that he will evaluate Mamdani based on his actions in ensuring the city's safety.
"It's important for him to be involved in this process, but I'm more interested in how he will manage," he said. "Public safety is a basic prerequisite for success or failure."
Some believe that by asking Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch to remain in her position, Mamdani is trying to dispel concerns about his soft stance on crime.
He stated that he intends to maintain the current number of police officers and create a new Department of Public Safety that will direct psychiatric assistance teams to unarmed calls.
The City Divided Over the Gaza Conflict
Mamdani is also known for his criticism of Israel and support for Palestinian rights, which creates friction with the party establishment and may affect his support among voters in a city with a large Jewish population.
He faced backlash during the primary elections for refusing to condemn the term "globalization intifada." However, after Jewish residents of New York expressed concern, Mamdani stated that he discourages others from using that expression.
Over 1,100 rabbis signed a letter condemning his remarks about the "political normalization" of anti-Zionism.
Polls show that Jewish voters' support is split between Mamdani and Cuomo.
Brad Lander, the city controller who supported Mamdani in the primary, claims that many New York Jews, including himself, support Mamdani.
Lander noted that Mamdani is focused on ensuring safety for all, regardless of their religious beliefs.
Sumaya Chowdhury and Farhana Islam from the group "Muslims for Progress" actively support Mamdani in his campaign.
Islam noted that while they are excited about the possibility of seeing the first Muslim mayor of New York, he does not need to reference his identity to gain votes.
"His policies speak for themselves, and that’s enough to garner support," she added.
After winning the primary, Mamdani faced rising Islamophobia. He now has security, and last month a Texas resident was arrested for making threats against him. In one message, he wrote: "Muslims don't belong here."
Mamdani decided to speak out against Islamophobia after Cuomo mocked him, saying that Mamdani would be waiting for another attack like September 11.
In an emotional speech, he expressed hope that by ignoring racist attacks and focusing on the main message, he could overcome barriers, but acknowledged: "I was wrong. No changes will help."
[b]The Future of the Party
Mamdani's approach, which may lead to his success in liberal New York, may not work at the national level. Democrats in Congress seem concerned about the implications of his rise amid ongoing tensions between moderate and progressive factions.
Senator Chuck Schumer did not endorse Mamdani, while his colleague Hakeem Jeffries expressed support only a few hours before early voting began.
Strategists argue that Mamdani poses a problem for the party establishment, as Trump and the Republicans already label all Democrats, even moderates, as socialists, which is believed to have resonated with Cuban and Venezuelan voters in the 2024 elections.
At the event in the Upper East Side, Mamdani told the BBC how he plans to handle the attention following a potential victory, pointing to the energy supporting his candidacy.
He stated that despite the upcoming challenges, the mass movement behind him will be able to overcome all obstacles.
