Zohran Mamdani was elected the 111th mayor of New York in a historic victory that will put an avowed democratic socialist in charge of the city that serves as the capital of global finance. Mamdani, a Democrat, received 50.4% of the votes, while former Governor Andrew Cuomo, running on an independent line after his loss to Mamdani in the primary, garnered 41.3% with 75% of the vote counted, according to the Associated Press. Republican Curtis Sliwa got 7.5%.
When Mamdani is sworn in on Jan. 1, the 34-year-old state lawmaker from Queens will be the youngest person to hold the office in a century. He’ll also be New York’s first Muslim mayor and first person of South Asian descent to lead the city in its 400-year history. He’ll replace first-term Mayor Eric Adams, who dropped out of the race amid low poll numbers and a series of scandals.
Israel’s consul general in New York, Ofir Akunis, warned that Democrat mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani poses a “clear and immediate danger” to the city’s Jewish community because he supports pro-Palestinian demonstrations. “There is a clear and immediate threat to Jewish institutions and synagogues, most of which are secured by the New York Police Department,” Akunis said. He added that Mamdani’s election “would pose a clear and present danger to the safety of Jewish communities and Israelis visiting here,” urging vigilance. “A warning should be issued to all Jewish communities, not just some,” he said.