Andrew Cuomo conceded defeat in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor in a stunning result for upstart Zohran Mamdani.
“Tonight is his night. He deserved it. He won,” Cuomo told supporters of the 33-year-old Democratic Socialist, a little-known state lawmaker.
The official results still hang in the balance; a candidate must surpass 50 percent of the vote to be declared winner on the night. The outcome will hinge on a ranked-choice tabulation next Tuesday. But with 93 percent of results counted Tuesday night, Mamdani held a substantial lead at 43.5 percent to Cuomo’s 36.4 percent.
If elected, Mamdani would be the city’s first Muslim and Indian-American mayor. He ran on a platform of making the city more affordable for working-class residents, attracting the crucial votes of college-educated progressives.
Cuomo, the former governor of New York, resigned amid a sexual harassment scandal in 2021 after more than 10 years in office.
Though he conceded the mayoral primary, it seems he hasn’t given up his bid for a political comeback, indicating to The New York Times on Tuesday night that he was still considering running as an independent in the general election.
“Andrew Cuomo is in the past,” mayoral candidate Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller, said from the stage at his election night party. “He is not the present or future of New York City.”
“Good f—ing riddance,” he added.
Mamdani declared victory to cheering supporters after Cuomo’s concession.
“Tonight, we made history,” Mamdani said. “In the words of Nelson Mandela, it always seems impossible until it is done. My friends, we have done it.”
“I will be your Democratic nominee for the mayor of New York City,” he added.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul also congratulated him in a social media post.
“Today, voters made their voices heard, demanding a more affordable, more livable New York City. I hear them loud and clear,” she wrote, adding that Mamdani “built a formidable grassroots coalition, and I look forward to speaking with him in the days ahead about his ideas on how to ensure a safe, affordable, and livable New York City.”
Lander was in third place on Tuesday night with 11.3 percent of the vote. He and Mamdani had cross-endorsed one another, and he embraced Mamdani onstage at a victory party.
His unfiltered remark about Cuomo earned him praise from congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a prominent New York progressive, who hailed him as a “hero.”
The lawmaker also congratulated Mamdani, writing: “Your dedication to an affordable, welcoming, and safe New York City where working families can have a shot has inspired people across the city.”
“Billionaires and lobbyists poured millions against you and our public finance system,“ she added. ”And you won.”
If Mamdani clinches the race next week, he’ll be considered a frontrunner to win the November election in deep-blue New York City. He’ll be up against Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent amid historically low approval ratings, and Curtis Sliwa, who won the GOP primary. Cuomo could also opt to throw his hat in the ring as an independent.
