Celebrations across NYC and world as Mamdani becomes first Muslim mayor of ‘Big Apple’

Celebrations have erupted across New York City and online, globally, as Zohran Mamdani secured a historic victory, becoming the first South Asian and Muslim to be elected mayor of the "Big Apple".

With over 90 percent of the votes counted, Mamdani, who describes himself as a Democratic Socialist, was ahead of independent candidate Andrew Cuomo by nearly 9 percentage points. 

Over two million New Yorkers voted in the election, which marks the largest turnout in a mayoral race in over half a century, according the city's Board of Elections. 

The win defied all odds, as Mamdani started the campaign as an underdog, polling at less than one percent in February.

Just four months later, he won the primary with 56 percent of the vote, after running a successful grassroots campaign mobilising tens of thousands to knock on more than three million doors in the city, according to the Mamdani campaign.

It also comes despite an intensely Islamophobic online campaign to smear him and attempts, in the final weeks of the race, by his opponents - Andrew Cuomo, Eric Adams, and Curtis Sliwa - to link Mamdani with Islamic extremism.

The Center for the Study of Organized Hate revealed in a 20-page document on Monday that Islamophobic and xenophobic discourse surrounding Mamdani on X had a reach of some 1.5 billion views between his Democratic primary win in June and the end of October. 

His vocal support for Palestinians, his stance against the Israeli occupation of Palestine, and his criticism of Israel have driven supporters of Israel to label him as antisemitic. Mamdani has also said he would review any Israel-linked investments made by the city.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed disdain for Mamdani, using campaign rallies and social media posts to attack the newly elected mayor’s progressive platform and Muslim identity. He has even gone so far as to threaten to cut federal funding to the city under Mamdani’s leadership. 

Although Mamdani has faced criticism from American politicians, supporters across New York and worldwide have hailed his victory as the beginning of a new era in politics.

Many believe his campaign will serve as a blueprint for progressive candidates in the years to come.

In addition, many online noted the timing of Mamdani’s victory, which coincided with the death of former US Vice President and Iraq war architect Dick Cheney.

Zohran wins the day Dick Cheney dies? This could potentially become one of the greatest days in the Muslim calendar.

— kev joon (@never_oppressed) November 4, 2025

"Dick Cheney died rather than see a Muslim mayor of New York," one social media user jokingly posted on X. "Alhamdulillah jihad is already winning." 

Another similar post on X reads: "A Muslim man becoming mayor of NY on the day Dick Cheney dies. What a world."

Many social media users outside the US commented on how relevant New York City’s mayoral election felt to their own cities.

"I have friends in Vietnam and Turkey who are following this NYC mayoral election more closely than I am," one social media post reads. "For all the talk of a multipolar world, American politics are as global as ever."

Mamdani, take it home for me 🗽🍎! (I live in Reading, England)

— g3li (@PBandGelii) November 4, 2025

While most focused on celebrating, many also drew attention to the Islamophobia Mamdani faced throughout the campaign - and the lack of support he received from within the Democratic establishment.

"Regardless of the results tonight, we cannot forget all the Dems who have relentlessly backed racist and Islamophobic campaigns against Zohran and Fateh," one social media user posted on X, also referencing Omar Fateh, the progressive Somali-American mayoral candidate in Minneapolis, who has suffered Islamophobic abuse. 

"It’s completely unacceptable Dem leaders have been all but silent, refusing to endorse, and have even joined in."