As Zohran Mamdani walked the streets of the Upper East Side for a campaign event to greet early voters, he could barely walk a few steps without being stopped by his supporters.
Two smiling young women looked starstruck and told him they followed him on Instagram. The millennial Democratic nominee for mayor thanked them before posing with another young man who had readied his phone for a selfie.
With a comfortable lead in the polls, the 34-year-old is on the brink of making history when New Yorkers vote on Tuesday, as the youngest mayor in over a century and the first Muslim and South Asian leader of the city.
A relatively unknown figure just months ago, few could have predicted his rise, from hip-hop artist and housing counselor to New York State Assemblyman and frontrunner to lead the biggest city in the US, a job which comes with a $116bn budget and global scrutiny.
Leading a three-way race
Through viral videos and outreach to content creators and podcasters, Mamdani has reached disaffected voters at a time when faith in the Democratic party among its own members is at an all-time low.
But questions loom over his ability to deliver on ambitious promises and how a politician with no executive experience will handle the expected confrontation from a hostile Trump administration. He describes himself as a democratic socialist, prioritizing worker voices over corporate interests.
Rent freezes and free buses
Mamdani's campaign focuses on affordability and quality of life, pledging universal childcare, rent freezes in subsidized units, free public buses, and city-run grocery stores. These promises resonate with voters beleaguered by high living costs.
His strategies involve funding these initiatives through new taxes on corporations and millionaires which some experts argue may not be feasible.
A divided city over Gaza
Mamdani maintains a firm stance on Palestinian rights, which distinguishes him from the Democratic Party establishment and could be a decisive factor in the election. His controversial remarks during the primaries have heightened tensions among different voter bases.
The future of the party
Despite his progressive wave in New York, Mamdani's national implications may not align with the broader Democratic Party, sparking concerns among moderates. His rise may illustrate a fracture within Democratic ranks as they grapple with defining their identity in an increasingly polarized environment.
