First-choice results on election night showed State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani had a large lead ahead of former governor Andrew Cuomo.[2] Cuomo conceded the race to Mamdani in what was considered to be a major upset victory.[3] In July, ranked-choice results showed Mamdani to be the clear winner with 56.4% of the vote, making him the official Democratic nominee in the November 4, 2025 general election, with Cuomo securing the remaining 43.6% of the vote.[4][5] The primary was the largest in New York City's history, almost reaching the same turnout as the 2021 mayoral general election.
In the previous primary on June 22, 2021, then Brooklyn Borough PresidentEric Adams was narrowly selected as the nominee with 50.4% of the runoff vote over second-placed former New York City Department of Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia, who won 49.6%.[8] Adams then won the mayoral general election on November 2, 2021 with 66.9% of the vote versus the Curtis Sliwa, the Republican challenger.[9]
City-wide elections in New York City are solidly Democratic, meaning the nominee chosen is likely to become the favorite to win the general election.[10]
Candidates
Major candidates
The candidates in this section have held elected office or have received substantial media coverage.
Early in the campaign, incumbent mayor Eric Adams was criticized for his handling of policing, the city budget, and the influx of migrants. By September 2024, Comptroller Brad Lander, former Comptroller Scott Stringer, state Senator Zellnor Myrie, and state Senator Jessica Ramos had announced campaigns for mayor.[36][37] Adams increasingly faced calls to resign after being indicted on September 25, which resulted in multiple city officials resigning.[38] Following the scandal, multiple more candidates announced their campaigns to challenge Adams, including investor Whitney Tilson,[39] former state Assemblymember Michael Blake,[40] and state Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani.[41]
In March 2025, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who had resigned several years earlier amid a sexual harassment scandal, and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams announced their campaigns.[42][43] The progressive "Don't Rank Eric or Andrew for Mayor (DREAM) for NYC" campaign—later renamed "Don't Rank Evil Andrew for Mayor"—urged voters not to rank Eric Adams or Cuomo on their ballots.[44][45] In April, Eric Adams withdrew from the Democratic primary race and announced that he would continue to seek re-election as an independent candidate.[46] That same month, criminal charges against Eric Adams were dismissed at the request of the Department of Justice, which argued that the case distracted him from enforcing President Trump's immigration program.[47]
Mamdani's campaign focused on affordability, proposing a rent freeze, increased public housing construction, free buses, universal childcare, and tax increases for those earning above $1 million annually.[48][49][50][51] Cuomo's campaign focused on crime, supporting an increase in police and building housing.[52] Lander's campaign supported building housing, services to immigrants, and investment in education. Adrienne Adams' campaign supported closing Rikers Island and investment in housing and education. Stringer's campaign supported recruiting more police and ethics reform.[53] Myrie's campaign supported building more housing.[54] Blake's campaign supported tax incentives for businesses and funding mental services.[55] Ramos's campaign supported improving mental health services. Tilson's campaign largely focused on education.[56]
Throughout the race, Cuomo consistently led in polls, with Mamdani emerging in second place.[57][58] In May, in response to a request from Republican members of Congress, the Justice Department opened an investigation into Cuomo's testimony before Congress regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in New York.[59] The polling margin between Cuomo and Mamdani began to shrink in June,[60] though most polls continued to show a Cuomo lead.[61] Cuomo created the "Fight and Deliver" party, which he planned to run on regardless of the outcome of the primary.[62] The Working Families Party said it was very unlikely to endorse Cuomo if he won.[63]
The first debate was held on June 4, where Cuomo was pressed on his sexual harassment allegations and the frontrunners shared their stances on Israel.[64][65] The second and final debate was held on June 12, where Cuomo was again criticized for his record, with increased attention to his administration's nursing home scandal, and Mamdani was criticized for inexperience and his identity as a socialist.[66]
Prominent endorsements for Mamdani included the Working Families Party,[67] Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,[68] and Senator Bernie Sanders.[69] Cuomo received endorsements from former mayor Michael Bloomberg, who also donated millions of dollars to his super PAC,[70] Representative Jim Clyburn,[71] and former President Bill Clinton.[72] On June 6, Ramos endorsed Cuomo while remaining on the primary ballot.[73] During the second debate, Tilson endorsed Cuomo second.[74] Mamdani and Lander cross-endorsed each other for second place,[75] and Mamdani and Blake cross-endorsed each other a few days later.[76] On June 16, the New York Times editorial board advised voters not to rank Mamdani while criticizing Cuomo.[77]
On June 18, Mamdani was criticized for appearing to defend the phrase "globalize the intifada" by describing it as "a desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights", also denouncing antisemitism and saying the city should increase anti-hate crime funding.[78] On June 19, Lander was briefly detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement while escorting an immigrant out of a court hearing in Manhattan.[79][80][81] On June 20, Mamdani walked the length of Manhattan for seven hours, meeting supporters along the way.[82] By the end of the campaign, over 10,000 volunteers for Mamdani canvassed over 1 million doors in the city, largely coordinated with the New York City chapter of Democratic Socialists of America.[83]
Gustavo Rivera, state senator from the 33rd district (2011–present) (third, fourth, or fifth choice co-endorsement with Adrienne Adams and Myrie, previously endorsed Ramos)[91]
Gustavo Rivera, state senator from the 33rd district (2011–present) (third, fourth, or fifth choice co-endorsement with Adrienne Adams and Blake, previously co-endorsed Ramos)[91]
Gustavo Rivera, state senator from the 33rd district (2010–present) (third, fourth, or fifth choice co-endorsement with Adrienne Adams and Myrie)(switched endorsement to Blake after Ramos' endorsement of Cuomo)[91]
New York State Iron Workers District Council (second choice)[30]
Professional Staff Congress(fourth or fifth choice co-endorsement with Myrie)[103](switched endorsement to Blake after Ramos' endorsement of Cuomo)[91]
United Auto Workers Region 9A (third choice)[104](switched endorsement to Blake after Ramos' endorsement of Cuomo)[91]
Organizations
Citizen Action of New York(co-endorsement with Adrienne Adams, Lander, Mamdani, and Myrie)[106](switched endorsement to Blake after Ramos' endorsement of Cuomo)[30]
In addition to candidate's campaign accounts, super PACs are allowed to make independent expenditures supporting or opposing candidates so long as they do not officially coordinate with candidates. Unlike public matching fund-participating campaign accounts which have a $8 million spending cap, independent expenditure groups have no limit.[269] At the time of the primary, Andrew Cuomo's PAC had amassed $25 million, which was the most money for any mayoral campaign in New York City's history.[270]
Campaign finance reports as of June 23, 2025 Last statement filed: #10 (June 13, 2025)
Independent expenditures as of June 23, 2025 Last statement filed: #23 (June 9, 2025)
Democratic voters in the 2025 primary elections cast their ballots at Jackie Robinson Recreation Center.
384,251 people voted early in the primary, more than double the turnout of 2021.[272] As of June 20, there are 45,597 scanned, valid mail-in ballots.[273]
On the night of the election, with about 90% of the votes counted, Mamdani led Cuomo by about seven percentage points, becoming the presumptive winner and prompting Cuomo to concede at around 11:15p.m. that night.[275][276] Lander gave his concession speech at Mamdani's watch party, with chants of "Brad" as he hugged Mamdani supporters. Afterward, Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez addressed the crowd, followed by Attorney General Letitia James, before Mamdani finally addressed supporters, claiming victory at 12:20a.m.[2]
Mamdani drew support from the middle and upper-middle classes, and White, Hispanic, and Asian voters, while making inroads with young Black voters. Cuomo won in many majority Black precincts, and drew support from the lower and upper classes.[277][278] Cuomo performed better in areas with lower density, while Mamdani performed better in areas with medium and higher density.[279] Mamdani performed well with young voters "across all races and classes" and benefitted from an increase in youth turnout.[280][281]
Mamdani's victory was announced by the Associated Press on July 1 after the Board of Elections released its ranked-choice ballot tabulation.[282] The Board of Elections certified the results on July 22.[4]
Mamdani attained the plurality of first-choice votes in three boroughs — Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan[283] — while Cuomo did so in Staten Island and claimed a majority in the Bronx.[284] Mamdani recorded his best result in Brooklyn, outperforming Cuomo by 18% of the vote and enjoying strong turnout,[285] and performed well in Queens, where he has represented the 36th district since 2021.[286] Mamdani's margin of victory was narrowest in Manhattan, where neither he nor Cuomo passed the 40% threshold.[287] Conversely, Cuomo did the best in the Bronx, beating Mamdani by almost 18% of the vote.[288] Finally, he secured the traditionally conservative-leaning[289] Staten Island, albeit by a margin of just some 8% of the vote.[290][291]
Mamdani and Cuomo repeated their earlier performances, with Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan going to Mamdani and Cuomo winning in Staten Island and Bronx.[292]
Mamdani's win was widely viewed as an upset victory over Cuomo,[294][295][296] and emblematic of a struggle between left-wing and centrist factions of the Democratic Party following Democratic losses in the 2024 federal elections.[294][295]Jerry Nadler, a Democrat representing parts of Manhattan in the House of Representatives, described the result as a "seismic election for the Democratic Party that I can only compare to Barack Obama's in 2008", and endorsed Mamdani.[297] President Donald Trump, originally a resident of Queens, called the result "a big moment in the History of our Country" and said Mamdani was "on his way to becoming Mayor."[298]
The New York Times reported that the night following the primary, independent mayoral candidate Eric Adams met with a loose consortium of hedge fund managers, landlords, and cryptocurrency moguls who were "aghast" at the result and seeking a strategy to oppose Mamdani in the general election.[299]CNBC reported that figures on Wall Street were "alarmed" and "depressed",[300] while CNN reported that some in the luxury real estate market felt wary and cautious due to Mamdani's housing and tax policies.[51] Conversely, labor unions including SEIU 32BJ and the New York State Nurses Association endorsed Mamdani in the week following the primary.[301]
Two days after the primary, sources close to Cuomo told CNN that he would remain in the race as an independent,[302] which Cuomo confirmed several weeks later.[303][304] Cuomo's brother Chris, whose efforts to defend Andrew against a sexual misconduct scandal led to his termination from CNN several years prior, gravely pronounced Mamdani an "open socialist" and declared the Democratic Party "dead".[305]
The prospect of New York electing a Muslim mayor triggered various commentators, mostly conservative, to engage in Islamophobic attacks on Mamdani, tying him to jihad,[306]burqas,[307]sharia,[308] and the 9/11 attacks.[306][307][308] Trump and other Republican officials threatened to arrest or deport Mamdani if he won the election.[309]
Mamdani's political base
The "Commie Corridor" highlighted in red
Following the election, the term "Commie Corridor" was popularized by political analyst Michael Lange to describe the geography of Zohran Mamdani's leftist base.[310][311]
Writer Michael Lind, in The Telegraph, framed Mamdani's win as a conflict between metropolitan professionals in the corridor and the metropolitan rich. He said that professionals, priced out of Manhattan, envied the rich and their servants.[316] In The Metropolitan Review, writer Annie Fell contrasted the corridor with wealthy parts of Manhattan that felt "alien and spiritually nauseating," Mamdani despite this also won Manhattan.[319]The Wall Street Journal said that Mamdani's base in the area were "downwardly mobile millennials" who felt they were worse-off than their parents.[320] Mamdani performed best among both Gen Z and Millennial voters.[321]
Notes
↑ First choice endorsements from both the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club and the NYC chapters.
↑ Paterson has also endorsed independent Jim Walden in the general election.[121]
↑ Anderson was part of a coalition of elected officials who endorsed Cuomo as their first choice, but he stated that he did not personally support him.
↑ Comrie was part of a coalition of elected officials who endorsed Cuomo as their first choice, but he stated that he did not personally support him.
↑ Williams was part of a coalition of elected officials who endorsed Cuomo as their first choice, but she stated that she did not personally support him.
↑ Tilson endorsed Cuomo as his second choice, but Cuomo did not reciprocate an endorsement.
↑ First choice endorsement from Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn, second choice endorsement from the NYC chapter, and third choice endorsement from Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club.
↑ Second choice endorsements from Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club and Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn, and third choice endorsement from the NYC chapter.
↑ Second choice endorsement from Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn.
↑ Adams stated that he "was planning to write in his own name on the ballot in all five ranked-choice spots".
↑ While not endorsing a candidate, Democratic Majority for Israel stated that "Zohran Mamdani is an anti-Israel extremist who would put Jewish New Yorkers at risk...New York Democrats must reject him on Tuesday."
↑ While not endorsing a candidate, Third Way stated that "While we take no position on who Democrats should vote for, we are deeply alarmed by one of the leading candidates: Zohran Mamdani."
↑ While not endorsing a candidate, amNewYork stated that Mamdani is "unfit to lead NYC".
↑ While not endorsing a candidate, The Post stated that "Registered Democrats have a duty to reject extremism and keep Zohran Mamdani entirely off their ballots."
↑ While not endorsing a candidate, The Times stated that "We do not believe that Mr. Mamdani deserves a spot on New Yorkers' ballots."
↑ While not endorsing a candidate, The Chronicle stated its support of "Anyone but Mamdani".
↑ While not endorsing a candidate, The Times Union stated that "You have five choices on your ballot. Andrew Cuomo does not deserve to be on that list".
1 2 3 4 5 6 Key: A – all adults RV – registered voters LV – likely voters V – unclear
↑ This poll asked respondents to name their first, second, third, fourth, and fifth choices on their ballots, but did not eliminate candidates in a ranked-choice simulation.
↑ "Final Report". 2019 New York City Charter Revision Commission. August 2, 2019. Archived from the original on February 16, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
1 2 3 Coltin, Jeff (February 19, 2025). "Another Adams is being recruited to run for NYC mayor in attempt to thwart Andrew Cuomo". Politico. Retrieved February 19, 2025. [Letitia] James herself was the subject of such an effort after Adams' indictment, POLITICO reported, but she declined, as did nonprofit leader Jennifer Jones Austin...Rep. Dan Goldman said he too was recruited to run for mayor, but he chose to stay out and endorse state Sen. Zellnor Myrie instead.
↑ Wong, Scott; Thorp, Frank (December 31, 2024). "Inside the most bizarre Congress in recent memory". NBC News. Retrieved December 31, 2024. Bowman said he is not ruling out running for political office in the future: 'U.S. Senate, yes, governor, yes, mayor, yes.'
↑ "How New York Will Implement Congestion Pricing". WNYC. November 25, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2025. Brian Lehrer: 'Everybody else seems to be running for mayor. Are you going to do it again?' Kathryn Garcia: 'No. That is not my plan.'
1 2 Fitzsimmons, Emma G.; Fandos, Nicholas (June 22, 2025). "Bill Clinton Endorses Andrew Cuomo for New York City Mayor". The New York Times. Retrieved June 23, 2025. Mr. Mamdani continued to receive his own endorsements from elected officials and cultural figures on Sunday, including Ras J. Baraka, the mayor of Newark, and the performer Lorde, who posted her support to her 11 million followers on Instagram.
1 2 3 4 Oreskes, Benjamin (June 24, 2025). "With Hours Left in the Primary, the Stars Come Out for Mamdani". The New York Times. Retrieved June 24, 2025. Other high-profile figures who have backed Mr. Mamdani include the singer Maggie Rogers, the actress and activist Laverne Cox, the comedian John Early and the leftist podcaster Stavros Halkias [. . .] Several notable older New Yorkers have backed Mr. Cuomo, including the former Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter, the singer Billy Joel and the fashion designers Michael Kors and Tory Burch.
↑ Coltin, Jeff; Ngo, Emily; Reisman, Nick (October 23, 2024). "Top socialists divided on Mamdani for mayor". Politico. Retrieved November 30, 2024. Zohran Mamdani is running for New York City mayor with the Democratic Socialists of America's endorsement.
1 2 Ngo, Emily; Reisman, Nick; Coltin, Jeff (May 22, 2025). "The Stefanik factor in the SALT deal". Politico. Reps. Tom Suozzi and George Latimer represent small portions of New York City, but neither plans to endorse in the Democratic primary for mayor, they told Playbook.
↑ King, Maya; Mays, Jeffery C.; Goldmacher, Shane (June 26, 2025). "Mamdani Triumphed Without a Majority of Black Voters. Where Does That Leave Them?". The New York Times. Retrieved June 27, 2025. Allies and rivals alike credited Mr. Mamdani with making inroads among younger Black voters. He made regular appearances on Black-focused media, including radio shows with large Black audiences like "The Breakfast Club" and "Ebro in the Morning." His campaign also put out an advertisement with young, Black democratic socialists who said his commitment to affordability would make the city more livable for Black New Yorkers struggling to stay. Some on the Cuomo team believe that in the end Mr. Mamdani may have actually topped the former governor among younger Black voters.
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Vote won by non-Mamdani/Cuomo candidates
Mamdani + Lander
