A young politician just made history in New York City. Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assemblyman, won the Democratic primary for mayor. This victory came as a surprise to many. Mamdani is a democratic socialist. He beat Andrew Cuomo, a well-known figure in New York politics.

The win was not clear at first. New York uses ranked-choice voting. This means voters rank their choices. Mamdani did not get the most first-choice votes. But after counting all the ranked votes, he won with 56% of the vote.

This win has big implications. It shows a shift in the Democratic Party. Young progressives are gaining power. Republicans are using this win to criticize Democrats. They say Mamdani represents their opposition.

Mamdani's campaign was smart. He used cross-endorsements. He teamed up with City Comptroller Brad Lander. They encouraged voters to rank Mamdani first and Lander second. This strategy worked. Mamdani got more re-allocated votes than Cuomo.

Cuomo's team is not giving up. They say young voters made this win possible. They also point out that Cuomo got more votes than the current mayor, Eric Adams, did in the 2021 primary.

The general election will be interesting. Adams is running as an independent. Republican Curtis Sliwa is also in the race. Cuomo is still on the ballot but has not decided if he will campaign actively.

This win is a big deal. It shows that young progressives are a force to be reckoned with. It also shows that ranked-choice voting can change election outcomes. The general election will be a test of how well Mamdani can appeal to a broader audience.

POLITICAL UPSET

Young Progressive Wins Big in NYC Mayor Race

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