In late June 2025, a claim circulated online that New York State Assemblyman and D
For example, one X post, which has since been deleted, read: "Indian-origin Zohran Mamdani has become the mayor of New York in the US." The post amassed more than 295,000 views and 7,500 likes before it was removed.
(IndianTechGuide/X)
Another post referred (archived) to him as "the brilliant new progressive Democrat Mayor of New York," while a third, also since-deleted, claimed: "Zohran Mamdani is now Mayor of New York."
However, the rumor was false. While Mamdani did win (archived) the Democratic Party primary for New York City mayor on June 24, 2025, he has not become the city's mayor. His victory means he will be on the Democratic ticket for the mayoral election scheduled for Nov. 4, 2025. Eric Adams — who is running for reelection as an independent — will continue as mayor (archived) until the next mayor is sworn in.
What actually happened
In the early hours of June 25, Mamdani claimed victory (archived) in the NYC Democratic primary for mayor after former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo conceded the primary race. According to The Associated Press' estimate, with 91% of the votes counted, Mamdani led Cuomo by more than 7 percentage points when Cuomo conceded.
(The Associated Press)
"Tonight was not our night. Tonight was Assemblyman Mamdani's night, and he put together a great campaign," Cuomo told supporters in Manhattan. "I called him. I congratulated him. I applaud him sincerely for his effort."
Addressing his own audience in Queens on June 25, Mamdani stated (at 9:57): "I will be the mayor for every New Yorker, whether you voted for me, for Gov. Cuomo, or felt too disillusioned by a long-broken political system to vote at all. I will fight for a city that works for you, that is affordable for you, that is safe for you."
As of June 25, prediction market company Polymarket concluded that there was a 72% chance Mamdani would become the next mayor of New York City (archived).
(Polymarket)
About Zohran Mamdani
Zohran Kwame Mamdani, 33, was born on Oct. 18, 1991, in Kampala, Uganda. He moved (archived) to New York at age 7 and was naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2018. He has served (archived) in the New York State Assembly since 2021, representing the 36th district in Queens.
The Democratic mayoral nominee is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and received endorsements from progressive legislators including independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont (archived) and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., (archived) during the primary campaign.
His campaign platform includes proposals for free city buses, public safety, free child care, city-owned grocery stores, affordable housing and increased taxes on big corporations and the wealthiest New Yorkers.