Zohran Mamdani Declares Victory in NYC Mayoral Race — Puts Trump and MAGA “On Notice” with Immigrant Pride Pledge
By Elena Vasquez, Political Correspondent New York, NY – November 6, 2025
Zohran Mamdani puts Trump and MAGA on notice after winning the NYC mayoral race: “New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and as of tonight, led by an immigrant.”
In a resounding upset that has jolted the national political landscape, Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani, the 34-year-old Queens assemblyman and son of Ugandan-Indian immigrants, was declared the winner of New York City’s mayoral election Tuesday night. The Associated Press called the race at 11:47 p.m. ET, with Mamdani securing 58% of the vote against Republican challenger Curtis Sliwa’s 39% and independent Eric Adams’s write-in scramble at 3%. Mamdani’s victory — the first by an openly socialist candidate in city history and the youngest mayor since John Lindsay in 1965 — marks a seismic shift leftward for the nation’s largest metropolis, delivering a direct rebuke to President Donald Trump and his MAGA movement.
From a stage in Jackson Heights — the diverse Queens neighborhood he represents in the State Assembly — Mamdani addressed a euphoric crowd of 15,000, many waving Palestinian flags and “Free NYC” banners. “New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and as of tonight, led by an immigrant,” he thundered, his voice rising above chants of “Zoh-ran! Zoh-ran!” The line, a pointed retort to Trump’s mass deportation pledges and anti-immigrant rhetoric, drew roars of approval and immediately went viral, amassing 4.2 million views on X within hours.
Mamdani, born in Kampala, Uganda, and raised in New York after his family fled Idi Amin’s regime, campaigned on a bold progressive platform: rent freezes, free public transit, municipal broadband, and declaring NYC a “sanctuary city on steroids.” His win caps a meteoric rise — from Bowdoin College grad to DSA-endorsed assemblyman in 2020, ousting a Democratic incumbent. Backed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Bernie Sanders, and a grassroots army of 50,000 volunteers, Mamdani raised $28 million, outpacing Sliwa’s $12 million despite no super PAC support.
The race, a rematch of sorts after Adams’s 2021 scandal-plagued term, turned on turnout and demographics. Mamdani dominated in immigrant-heavy enclaves: 78% in Jackson Heights, 72% in Sunset Park’s Chinatown, and 65% in the Bronx. Sliwa, the Guardian Angels founder, clung to Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn but couldn’t overcome Mamdani’s 2-to-1 margin among voters under 35. “This is a rejection of fearmongering,” said Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, who campaigned door-to-door in the final week. “Zohran represents the future — multiracial, unapologetic, and ready to fight.”
Trump, monitoring from Mar-a-Lago, fired off a midnight Truth Social barrage: “Radical Socialist Zohran Mamdani stole NYC! Open borders lunatic will turn the Big Apple into a Third World hellhole. LAW & ORDER coming SOON!” The post, viewed 12 million times, fueled MAGA outrage but underscored Mamdani’s point: His win as an immigrant leading 8.3 million people — 37% foreign-born — directly challenges Trump’s narrative.
Washington reacted swiftly. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre congratulated Mamdani Wednesday, pledging cooperation on federal funding. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) warned of “consequences” for sanctuary policies, hinting at withheld infrastructure dollars. Progressive senators like Elizabeth Warren hailed it as “a blueprint for 2026,” while moderates like Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) expressed “concerns over extremism.”
Mamdani’s agenda faces immediate tests. Inauguration January 1 coincides with the federal shutdown’s potential extension; he vowed to “mobilize city resources” for furloughed workers. Priorities include a $10 billion affordable housing bond, universal child care, and taxing Wall Street transactions to fund subways. Critics like Sliwa predict chaos: “He’ll defund the police and invite caravans — mark my words.”
Yet the symbolism transcends policy. Mamdani, a Muslim who fasted Ramadan during the campaign, becomes NYC’s first non-Christian mayor since Fiorello La Guardia. His wife, a Palestinian-American activist, joined him onstage with their toddler, symbolizing the city’s mosaic. “This isn’t my victory — it’s ours,” he told supporters, crediting working-class immigrants who phone-banked in 12 languages.
National implications loom large. Democrats see Mamdani as a 2028 contender — a brown, millennial foil to aging leadership. Republicans plot countermeasures: Trump teased a “NYC Liberation Tour” rally in spring. Polls show his win boosting Democratic turnout models by 8% in urban swing states.
As confetti fell in Queens, Mamdani whispered to Ocasio-Cortez: “We just changed the game.” From immigrant roots to City Hall’s pinnacle, his ascent puts Trump on notice: New York’s heartbeat is global — and unbowed. In a nation divided, Mamdani’s mantra echoes: Built by immigrants, led by one. The Big Apple’s new era begins — bold, unapologetic, and unmistakably Mamdani.
