News

Mamdani’s Primary Win in NYC and What It May Say about National Politics

July 1, 2025

Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani clinched the Democratic nomination for New York City mayor, defeating former state Governor Andrew Cuomo in the June 24 primary. With 93% of votes counted, 33-year-old Mamdani led with 43.5% to Cuomo’s 36.4%, prompting Cuomo to concede the race.

Why it matters: Mamdani’s victory is described as a “political earthquake” and hailed by some observers as a significant shift within the Democratic Party toward younger, progressive candidates.
 
What's next: As the general election approaches, Mamdani is expected to face incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, running as an independent, and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo has also teased running as an independent in the general election this fall.
 
What they are saying: Mamdani’s win has set off a large debate within the Democratic party about how his win may affect the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential election.
 
  • His campaign focused on affordability for working-class New Yorkers, proposing initiatives like freezing rents for rent-stabilized apartment owners, free public transportation, universal childcare, and the construction of 200,000 affordable housing units
  • Mamdani’s political career began with a successful bid for the New York State Assembly in 2020. He represents Queens’ 36th District. His endorsements from prominent progressives such as Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez further bolstered his appeal. 

According to Jacobin, this primary race vindicates an economic-populist strategy that embraces bread-and-butter economic issues some Democrats have advocated for:

His campaign was highly disciplined, with a tight focus on housing, transportation, wages, and the everyday cost of living. That message reached not just core progressive constituencies but many working-class New Yorkers, who have traditionally shied away from progressive challengers or sat out Democratic primaries altogether.
Meanwhile, moderate Democrats view Mamdani’s victory as a possible liability for future elections. Some party members openly question if this win could spell trouble for them in 2026, and two moderate members from New York are already distancing themselves from Mamdani. 

According to Politico:
Rep. Laura Gillen, who represents a battleground district on Long Island, posted on social media that Mamdani was “too extreme to lead New York City,” and Rep. Tom Suozzi, whose district in Queens and the surrounding suburbs voted for Trump, said “concerns remain” about Mamdani.
The bottom line: Democrats will parse the meaning of Mamdani’s win for months. The final results in November could be an indicator of how Democrats tailor their messaging for the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential race.

Contact James Montfort (jmontfort@crefc.org) with any questions.

Contact 

James Montfort
Manager,
Government Relations
202.448.0857
jmontfort@crefc.org
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The information provided herein is general in nature and for educational purposes only. CRE Finance Council makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, validity, usefulness, or suitability of the information provided. The information should not be relied upon or interpreted as legal, financial, tax, accounting, investment, commercial or other advice, and CRE Finance Council disclaims all liability for any such reliance. © 2025 CRE Finance Council. All rights reserved.

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