How How Do New Yorkers Feel About Mamdani’s Win in NYC’s Mayoral Primary?

New York City’s Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s primary win on Tuesday wasn’t lucky. It was fueled by dedicated canvassers, robust social media collaboration and outreach, high-profile endorsements, and Mamdani’s ability to connect with the everyday New Yorker.

Mamdani’s main opponent, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, conceded late Tuesday night, establishing Mamdani as the Democrat running in November’s general election against current Mayor Eric Adams (running as an Independent) and the Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. There is still much work for Mamdani to do ahead of what promises to be a challenging election (especially as Cuomo has not ruled out running as an Independent himself).

But his primary win has energized his supporters, representing for them the potential for a much-needed changing of the guard. In the wake of Mamdani’s victory, NPQ spoke to a few people across the city to learn how they were feeling about the election results and the future of the city.

Andrew Osinbajo is the lead field organizer of Central Harlem for Mamdani’s campaign. As field lead, he’s responsible for coordinating volunteers, getting campaign materials and setting up meetings, among other things.

“I also had on my vision board for the year to get more involved in local politics after Trump won.”

He first learned about Mamdani from the candidate’s Instagram page when he interviewed people about why they voted for Trump. Osinbajo began following Mamdani and felt he had a serious message that was impactful for every New Yorker, and he saw that Mamdani was trying to make the city a better place to live. “I also had on my vision board for the year to get more involved in local politics after Trump won,” said Osinbajo.

“People were excited to have someone at the door that cared about their city,” said Osinbajo, reflecting on the campaign. “Volunteers were pounding the pavement long before the debates, and people in Central Harlem were really receptive because of that.” Mamdani’s community safety plan and bringing mental health professionals into public spaces was key for Osinbajo. “Zohran had people going door to door, neighborhood to neighborhood, across races, languages, backgrounds, a united coalition talking to people face to face. And I think that’s really what won this,” said Osinbajo.

Marg Curran is based in Queens and is a member of District Council 37 (DC37), New York City’s largest public employee union, part of AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees). Early on, Curran got a call from another union member who was looking to organize the union to formally endorse Mamdani’s campaign, and Curran quickly got involved. “I wrote a letter to my union leadership, advocating for them to endorse him, which ultimately they did,” said Curran.

“He already has a proven track record of standing with and caring for working New Yorkers.”

Some of the policies that Curran supported include rent freezes on rent-stabilized units, city-run grocery stores, and universal childcare. And, according to Curran, “he hasn’t just talked the talk but also walked the walk.” For example, in 2022 then Assemblymember Mamdani was part of a 15-day hunger strike to support medallion-holding taxi drivers. “He already has a proven track record of standing with and caring for working New Yorkers,” said Curran, and pointed to his ability to get a whole army of volunteers talking to their neighbors. Because he did so well in the polls and the election, “it feels like a mandate to win this election in November and follow through on his platform,” said Curran, who also expressed gratitude to fellow city workers for getting involved and helping to push Mamdani’s campaign forward.

Lidia Liriano and Lillibeth Liriano, mother and daughter, are based in Washington Heights. Lidia Liriano, the mother, met Mamdani at her voting poll site surrounded by a huge crowd. “I approached him and said ‘My kids are crazy about you. Can I take a picture with you?’” she said. “I started calling him my son,” she continued, “because he is only 33 and my Juancarlos (her actual son) is 32 and the energy at the polling site was positive and very engaging.” Meanwhile, Lillibeth Liriano, the daughter, appreciated that Mamdani was taking the time to campaign around Washington Heights several times. “He’s very visible, whereas, you know, with a lot of candidates, and people that are in office right now, you don’t see them,” she said. Both Lirianos said they felt that Mamdani embodies what a true public servant is.

Raising the minimum wage to $30 and increasing tenant protections were critical issues that the Lirianos said they appreciate about Mamdani’s platform. “I spend almost $300 on groceries every week and I don’t understand how a family of four or five working for [current] minimum wage can survive,” said Lidia Liriano. Mamdani frequently acknowledges the affordable housing crisis, which is top of mind for many New Yorkers, Lillibeth Liriano pointed out. “I’m interested in the safety of the city, and he wants to invest in mental health professionals and social services and gun prevention programs,” she said.

“He’s very visible, whereas, you know, with a lot of candidates…you don’t see them.”

To these two, what made Mamdani’s campaign successful was his cross-candidate endorsements from opponents like New York City Comptroller Brad Lander. Plus, “I would say honestly, the social media marketing campaign is probably one of the best campaigns I’ve ever seen for a political candidate,” said Lillibeth Liriano. Both women are feeling optimistic for what is to come. “It just goes to show that we can all work together and support each other, and ultimately work towards the same goal,” said Lillibeth Liriano.

Tony McNally is based in Brooklyn and felt that Mamdani’s campaign was the most clear and accessible of all the candidates. He pointed to the fact that Mamdani made his revenue and budget proposal publicly available and he told NPQ he is considering canvassing in the fall to support the Mamdani campaign. While economists have said Mamdani’s proposal is sound, McNally acknowledged that it will be a tough sell to make New York City more affordable given all the opposition and politicians in office who have questionable ties. “As someone who grew up here and is still in the apartment that I grew up in that is rent stabilized, Mamdani wanting to freeze the rent was a big thing for me,” said McNally. He noted that this was done before under Mayor Bill de Blasio. “It’s not something that’s impossible to do, and he explained how he’s going to do it,” said McNally, pointing out that many buildings across the city are owned by multinational corporations who don’t need the revenue.

“His social media and ground game were impeccable,” McNally said, recalling the many canvassers who called and knocked on his door during the campaign. “The only flyers I saw for Cuomo were mailers that had a bunch of lies about Mamdani,” he said. Since his building is home to many elderly people who don’t engage much with social media, McNally said he took it upon himself to dispel some of the disinformation that Cuomo’s campaign was spreading. “I’m also wary of the whole cultural wars that will come into play, especially after the Obama years,” McNally reflected, considering Mamdani’s upbringing and background. Mamdani was born in Uganda to an Indian father and Indian American mother, and raised in New York City from the age of seven.

Overall, McNally concluded, “I’m feeling optimistic. I’m feeling good, and I’m feeling optimistic.”