A City Divided: Reactions to Mamdani’s Historic Mayoral Victory

By: Ansh Kapoor

On November 4, 2025, Zohran Mamdani won the mayoral election in New York City, securing just over 50% of the vote and capturing four of the city’s five boroughs. His victory came on the back of a historically high turnout: more than two million ballots were cast, the highest participation in a mayoral race in the city since 1969. 

Mamdani, a 34-year-old self-described democratic socialist and former state assembly member, ran on a bold platform centered around affordability, housing, transit, and workers’ rights. His campaign promised, among other things: free or very cheap bus service, rent freezes for residents in regulated apartments, city-run grocery stores, universal childcare, and increased taxes on the wealthy.

He defeated two major opponents: Andrew Cuomo (running as an independent after a Democratic primary) and Curtis Sliwa (Republican). Cuomo finished second with around 42 % of the vote, and Sliwa around 7 %.

In winning, Mamdani flipped districts and demographics that had been thought harder for a progressive candidate. He carried many parts of the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan. His support included younger voters, college-educated voters, and immigrant communities.

Critics are wary of Mamdani’s sweeping agenda, arguing that his victory signals more uncertainty than transformation. They claim that proposals like free buses, rent freezes, and major social expansions sound ambitious on the campaign trail but may be impossible to fund in a city already struggling with deficits and shrinking tax revenue. Many fear that placing a democratic socialist in charge of the nation’s financial capital could drive away businesses and deepen existing economic vulnerabilities.

At Tower Hill, students have the same divided reaction as many voters across the country. While some students are critical, others are optimistic, with many falling somewhere in between.

Several students have voiced strong skepticism about Mamdani’s policy. “I think Mamdami is turning New York too socialist. He promised too much. He won’t deliver,” one student said, expressing his concerns about Mamdani’s ideology. Another remarked, “How can a socialist be in the capitalist epicenter of the U.S?” For many students, the election felt like a step in the wrong direction, pointing out fears over a socialist candidate winning a major election.

Other students at Tower Hill wanted to take a measured approach. One student told me they “wanted to wait and see,” while another student is “cautiously optimistic” about Mamdani’s plans for free busing for the citizens of New York.

Still, not all reactions were negative. Some students expressed excitement about what Mamdani represents. “He seems to be a fresh new face in politics,” one said while another pointed out “his youth and vibrance.” For these students, Mamdani’s win signals the possibility of new ideas and a break from traditional political leadership.

In the hallways of Tower Hill, the debate over Mamdani’s win is far from settled. Whether his agenda reshapes New York or stalls under pressure, it’s clear his election has already sparked conversations far beyond the city itself.