The New York City Election Board officially confirmed Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the Democratic primary on Tuesday, July 2, 2025. With this win, he is now the Democratic Party’s official nominee for the upcoming mayoral election in November.
Ranked-Choice Voting Secured His Win
In the ranked-choice voting system, voters rank their top five candidates. Zohran won 56% of the votes in the third round, which was enough to confirm his victory, as a candidate needs at least 50% in the final round. Interestingly, Zohran started the campaign as a relatively unknown member of the New York State Assembly.
Zohran to Face Eric Adams in the General Election
As the official Democratic nominee, Zohran will now face current Mayor Eric Adams in the general election. Adams, who won the 2021 election as a Democrat, is now running as an independent after facing corruption allegations—although those charges were later dropped by the court.
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Zohran Compares His Win to Adams’ 2021 Campaign
In a video posted on social media platform X, Zohran said his team expected a win after several rounds of vote counting. However, he was surprised to receive so many votes in the very first round, more than what Adams had gained in seven rounds during the previous election.
A Unique Background and Political Stand
Zohran is 33 years old, born in Uganda, and comes from an Indian-Muslim background. He describes himself as a democratic socialist. In the primary, he defeated Andrew Cuomo, a well-known moderate politician and former New York Governor.
Democrats Worry About Republican Attacks
Some members of the Democratic Party are worried that Zohran’s left-leaning political views might make him an easy target for Republican attacks during the main election campaign.
Zohran Aims to Win Back Support from Republican Areas
Zohran said his goal is to bring back public support from Republicans to Democrats. He also won in some areas of New York City where Donald Trump received strong support in the last presidential election.
Trump Warns Against Zohran’s Immigration Stance
After Zohran’s win was confirmed, Donald Trump was asked what he would do if Zohran tries to stop immigration raids if he becomes mayor. Trump responded, “Then we’ll have to arrest him. We don’t need communists in this country. I’ll watch him very carefully for the sake of the country.”
Zohran Opposes Fear-Based Immigration Raids
Zohran had earlier criticized immigration raids, saying they create fear among people, and that many agents do not follow the law during these operations.
Cuomo May Still Run as an Independent
After the initial results last week, Andrew Cuomo called Zohran to concede defeat. Final results showed Cuomo received 44% of the vote. Although he lost the Democratic primary, he could still decide to run as an independent, though he has made no public statement yet.
The Final Race: Zohran vs. Adams and Others
In the upcoming mayoral election, Zohran will face:
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Independent candidate Eric Adams
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Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa
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Independent candidate Jim Walden, an attorney
Source: Prothom Alo
