New York City mayoral candidate Mamdani casts vote in election

rump said New Yorkers had “no choice” but to back Cuomo, who lost the June primary to Mamdani

Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate for mayor in New York City, cast his ballot as voters headed to the polls Tuesday in the closely watched race.

“Today is election day, a day we have dreamed of for more than a year,” Mamdani told reporters after voting. “It is time now for a new day in our politics, and it is an honor and a privilege to be a part of a movement that has fought every single day to bring that day forward, and today, we have until 9 pm to say that our time has come.”

He said his agenda “will finally bring working-class New Yorkers to the heart of our politics, a place that they have not had for quite some time.”

Mamdani responded to comments Monday by President Donald Trump, who threatened to cut federal funding to the city if voters choose the Democratic hopeful, who is currently leading the polls against Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa.

Trump said New Yorkers had "no choice" but to vote for Cuomo, a former New York governor who lost the primary to Mamdani in June.

“President Trump also encouraged every New Yorker to vote for Andrew Cuomo. There are many things that he will say and that he will do that will not actually bear out in the results within our own city. I will treat his threats as they deserve to be treated, which are the words of a president and not necessarily the law of the land,” he said.

“What we see in the language of Donald Trump is a premise, as if it is his decision on whether or not to fund the city the very money that this city is owed.

"I look forward to utilizing every single tool at my disposal as the next mayor of the city to fight for the people. That means using the courts, that means using the bully pulpit, that means ensuring that we actually follow the letter of the law,” he added, vowing that he would “not be intimidated by this president.”

Open to cooperating with Trump

Mamdani, in an interview aired Tuesday on Hot 97 radio, said he would cooperate with Trump if discussions focus on lowering living costs, but warned against deals that harm New Yorkers.

"If President Trump wants to talk about lowering the cost of living or the cheaper groceries that he campaigned on, I'm here and ready to go," said Mamdani.

But the would-be first Muslim mayor of New York City drew a sharp distinction from Trump's relationships with other New York leaders. "But if he wants to have the kind of conversations he's been having with Andrew Cuomo or Eric Adams, where it's at the expense of New Yorkers, it's going to be a very different kind of relationship," he said.

He told MSNBC that his administration would challenge any attempt by Trump to withhold federal funds from the city, calling the money owed to New Yorkers rather than discretionary aid. Mamdani said the city will use the courts and "every tool at our disposal" to defend residents.

'Critiques of government are not critiques of people'

Trump attacked Mamdani on his social media platform Truth Social on Tuesday as "a proven and self professed Jew hater" and said any Jewish person voting for him "is a stupid person." Mamdani denies antisemitism accusations.

The candidate said he has received significant support from Jewish New Yorkers, calling it "a beautiful thing" when breaking through political noise to speak directly with residents.

Mamdani rejected conflating criticism of the Israeli government with attitudes toward Jewish people. "You do not confuse a faith and a people with the government," he said, adding that critiques of government are not critiques of people.

"I will look to be their mayor as well. I will look to be the mayor for every Jewish New Yorker, every New Yorker, no matter how they vote, who they vote for, or if they vote," Mamdani told MSNBC. He emphasized the need for politics that puts people first and celebrates Jewish New Yorkers' place in the city’s history.

Mamdani's campaign centers on addressing living costs through rent freezes for stabilized tenants, making buses fast and free, and delivering universal childcare.

New Yorkers voted Tuesday in the mayoral race, with polls closing at 9 pm (0200GMT Wednesday). More than 735,000 early ballots were cast, a city record.

If elected, Mamdani would become the first Muslim and first South Asian mayor of the nation's largest city.

Polling data compiled by the Real Clear Politics website has Mamdani up by an average of 14.3%.

The data has Mamdani at 46.1% to Cuomo’s 31.8%. Sliwa sits in third place at 16.3%.