Inside Zohran Mamdani's unlikely rise to New York's City Hall
A little-known assemblyman turned movement candidate, Zohran Mamdani built a coalition of progressives and working-class voters to claim New York’s top office - a win that signals shifting power inside America’s biggest city
When progressive organizers gathered in secret in November 2023 to plan how to defeat Mayor Eric Adams, few imagined that one of the attendees - a relatively unknown state assemblyman from Queens - would soon emerge as New York City's first Muslim and youngest mayor in a century.
That meeting, convened by the Working Families Party (WFP) after a raid on Adams's top fundraiser, drew several progressive figures including city comptroller Brad Lander, Brooklyn borough president Antonio Reynoso and state senator Jessica Ramos. Zohran Mamdani's presence surprised many, including WFP co-chair Ana María Archila, says CNN.
"Zohran? Is Zohran thinking of running?" Archila recalled asking.
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A progressive project takes shape
Mamdani, known for his work as a housing activist and member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), quickly became a central participant in the meetings. He argued that any challenger should campaign on freezing rent citywide - a proposal that would later anchor his platform.
By early 2024, Mamdani had built a campaign team through DSA networks, combining traditional door-knocking with an aggressive social media operation. His goal: to knock on a million doors and frame the race as a battle between working families and entrenched power.
His campaign drew inspiration from earlier insurgent progressives such as Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Brooklyn councilman Chi Ossé. Mamdani and state senator Jabari Brisport often traveled to Albany, where, according to aides, they alternated between singing show tunes and making late-night campaign calls.
The turning point
As the race took shape, Mamdani's opponents included Adams, former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican activist Curtis Sliwa. Adams eventually dropped out, clearing the way for a contest largely defined by Mamdani and Cuomo.
"I've got to get Adams and Sliwa out and then I'm going to win," Cuomo told advisers, according to campaign aides. But Mamdani's message - affordability, rent freezes and public investment - resonated with younger and working-class voters.
According to reporting by CNN, after internal polling showed little movement among undecided voters, Mamdani's campaign shifted tone. "We leaned into the vibes," one strategist said, referring to humorous online ads parodying reality shows such as The Bachelor and Survivor. The approach energized volunteers and kept his campaign visible in a crowded media environment.
Guidance from national figures
Behind the scenes, Mamdani received advice from two of the most recognizable figures in American politics - Bernie Sanders and Barack Obama.
Sanders, who campaigned for him, urged the team to prepare a concrete plan for their first 100 days in office. "They'll try to crush you," he warned, pressing aides to outline specific executive authorities and deliver visible action quickly.
Obama spoke twice with Mamdani, emphasizing the importance of governing well and surrounding himself with experienced professionals. "The reason you have been so successful is because you have a deep sense of what you believe," Obama told him.
Political fallout and strained alliances
Mamdani's rise also reshaped alliances within the city's progressive movement. Lander, who had helped rally support among Jewish and skeptical progressive voters, reoriented his own campaign as a "Cuomo takedown machine," taking on negative attacks so Mamdani could close with a positive message.
But the relationship soured after the election. Mamdani, dissatisfied with Lander's performance as comptroller, informed him he would not have a role in the new administration. By then, Lander was reportedly exploring a congressional bid against Representative Dan Goldman.
"Against all odds"
When the results arrived, Mamdani addressed a jubilant crowd in Queens. "Against all odds, we have grasped it," he declared. "The future is in our hands."
His victory marked a historic first for New York - a son of Ugandan immigrants of Indian descent, a practicing Muslim, and a democratic socialist winning the mayoralty of America's largest city.
Mamdani has pledged what he calls the most ambitious affordability agenda since Fiorello LaGuardia's administration in the 1940s. Early priorities include making public buses free and establishing government-run grocery stores to reduce food costs.
A divided reaction
Not all have welcomed his ascent. Republican rival Curtis Sliwa said he would act as a "mayor in exile," organizing protests and opposition. "Every time he crosses that line - which he will - I will try to stop his initiatives," Sliwa said.
Billionaire John Catsimatidis, who backed Cuomo, hinted darkly at unfinished business. "There's something more that we don't know," he said. "And someday we're going to find out."
For supporters like Representative Ro Khanna, the outcome reflected a long journey. "Kahan se kahan," Khanna said in Hindi, meaning "from where you started to where you are now."
For Mamdani, that journey continues - from activist outsider to mayor, now tasked with turning campaign energy into effective governance. As Obama told him, the true test may not be in winning power, but in what comes next.
