ZOHRAN MAMDANI WON yesterday’s New York mayoral election with an energetic campaign built on promises to address the cost of living for ordinary people in the financial capital of the world. 

The Democratic state assembly member came from relative obscurity and made a positive impression on New Yorkers with deft use of social media and a massive ground game that grew in strength throughout his campaign. And he won without the support of the upper echelons of his own party. 

He appealed to voters in his personal, informal style by pledging to tackle the soaring cost of living by offering free city bus travel, free childcare, the establishment of city-run grocery stores and a rent freeze for most of the city’s apartments. 

Mamdani owes a lot to his social media team, who managed to create videos that regularly went viral throughout the campaign.

One particularly successful stunt was a walk from one end of Manhattan to the other just before he would go on to beat former governor Andrew Cuomo in the vote to choose the Democratic nominee. (Cuomo re-entered the race as an independent and came second in yesterday’s election.)

Mamdani interacted with members of the public along the way and showed off his gift for engaging people, all while one of his rousing speeches played over the images. 

“We’re outside because New Yorkers deserve a mayor that they can see, they can hear, they can even yell at,” he says to camera at the start of the video. 

Cuomo attempted to make his own mark on social media by appearing relatable, putting out a video of him helping to jump-start a car. The awkward atmosphere of the video did not jump-start his campaign. 

On Friday night, we walked the length of Manhattan, from Inwood Hill to Battery Park.

New Yorkers deserve a Mayor they can see, hear, even yell at. The city is in the streets. pic.twitter.com/gbOLz78Fta

— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) June 23, 2025

As he was courting the ordinary citizens, Mamdani’s socialist proposals alarmed New York’s wealthy elite, with some even saying they would leave the city if he won. He also weathered a barrage of racist and Islamophobic attacks from many Republicans – and some Democrats.

But overall, Mamdani ran a positive campaign despite plenty of hostile media coverage, including pundits questioning his age and relative inexperience.

In another example of his team’s savvy use of social media, he posted a video in the style of an introduction to the New York-set TV series Law & Order, with its characteristic voiceover and recognisable music. 

In this election, the people have two separate but equally important choices: a city they can afford or the billionaire-backed politics of the past.

Our new ad just aired during Law & Order. pic.twitter.com/Qbgqlh0SHM

— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) October 31, 2025

Another video responded to the questions about his youth in a humorous way. 

In it, Mamdani walks up to a lectern and says in a serious tone:

“I know some of you have expressed concerns about my age. You are worried about a 33-year-old becoming mayor of New York City. And I want you to know, I hear you. That’s why this weekend I’ll be making a change. I’m turning 34.”

Mamdani addressed the criticisms he faced during the campaign last night, in a speech that celebrated the ethnic, cultural and religious diversity of New York. 

“We must chart a new path as bold as the one we have already travelled,” he told his cheering supporters.

“After all, the conventional wisdom would tell you that I am far from the perfect candidate. I am young, despite my best efforts to grow older. I am Muslim. I am a democratic socialist, and most damning of all, I refuse to apologise for any of this.”

An important announcement to the people of New York City. pic.twitter.com/1xmC0ZiZgW

— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) October 16, 2025

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The figure of Donald Trump of course loomed over the build-up to yesterday’s election.

Yesterday, Trump called Mamdani a “Jew hater” and threatened to cut off federal funding to the city if he won the election.

While Mamdani did bring up his fellow New Yorker at times during the campaign, he mostly kept his powder dry for last night’s victory speech, in which he fired shots at the president, telling his supporters:

“If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him.”

He continued:

“If there is any way to terrify a despot, it is by dismantling the very conditions that allowed him to accumulate power. This is not only how we stop Trump, it’s how we stop the next one.

“So Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up!”

That last line was followed by a huge cheer from his supporters.