<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Zohran Mamdani has been elected mayor of New York, a meteoric rise for a self-described democratic socialist who was a virtual unknown a year ago.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The 34-year-old is the youngest mayor in the city for more than a century.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mamdani rode to a comfortable victory on a wave of discontent in the city.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/trump-administration-to-cut-food-stamp-benefits-by-half/ee1f4551-e7a8-4f23-a005-d1b6bc7fd20c" rel="" target="" title="Trump officials slash food stamp benefits by half"><strong><span>Trump officials slash food stamp benefits by half</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The self-described democratic socialist ran his campaign on cost-of-living issues.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Among his proposed policies are a rent freeze, free buses, city-owned grocery stores and a $US30 minimum wage.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But his campaign was dogged by criticism of his positions on Israel, describing the actions of the Netanyahu government in Gaza as a "genocide".</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/zohran-mamdani-elected-mayor-of-new-york-us-politics-live-updates-news/dfd58ac8-b087-4110-988a-2525164ed0df" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Turnout in the Big Apple was the highest it has been since 1969, with a surprisingly high number of young voters casting a ballot.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mamdani won the Democratic primary earlier this year with a substantial lead over former governor Andrew Cuomo.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Cuomo is a heavyweight in the Democratic Party but was pressured into resigning his office after a series of sexual misconduct accusations.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Among a crowded field, Mamdani rose from obscurity to frontrunner thanks in large part to his upbeat and engaging TikTok content.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>With so many politicians uncomfortable on social media, Mamdani was a natural.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After the primary loss, Cuomo announced an independent run for mayor.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But as polls closed, it was readily apparent Cuomo did not have enough support to win.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Republican Curtis Sliwa has not cracked double digits at the current count.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Incumbent mayor Eric Adams dropped his re-election bid after polling showed him in a distant fourth place.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Since 2021, Mamdani has served as a member of the New York State Assembly.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mamdani was born in Uganda and moved to New York City as a seven-year-old.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His father Mahmood is a high-profile academic and his mother Mira Nair is a director, best known for </span><em><span>Mississippi Masala</span></em><span> and </span><em><span>Monsoon Wedding</span></em><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He retains his Ugandan citizenship and is a Shia Muslim.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He got married earlier this year after meeting his now-wife on the dating app Hinge.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australia-us-shared-values-under-donald-trump-only-8-per-cent-believe-it/98fae89f-9788-4ba5-ba0c-98d0e246d82c" rel="" target="" title="New poll spells out Australians' falling out with Trump's US"><strong><span>New poll spells out Australians' falling out with Trump's US</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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