New York: When he announced his run for mayor back in October 2024, Zohran Mamdani was a state lawmaker unknown to most New York City residents.

Now, the 34-year-old democratic socialist has had a stunning political ascent, declaring victory in the Democratic primary in June to becoming mayor of New York in an emphatic victory confirmed by The Associated Press less than an hour after polls closed.

Mamdani and his challenger, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, 67, offered voters starkly different visions on taxes and policing in a race that has at times mirrored the divisions roiling the Democratic Party nationally.

The election has also become a microcosm of New Yorkers’ views on ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, with Cuomo pledging support for Israel as Mamdani criticised the wars

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