New York, NY — 350 Action is elated to witness this historic win of our endorsed #1 ranked candidate Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic nomination for mayor of NYC. His campaign was fueled by people power with an astonishing 30,000 people signing up to  canvas for his campaign this cycle. With the final ranked choice voting results in, Mamdani was the clear winner against rival frontrunner and career politician Cuomo at 56-44 percent of the vote total. 

He delivered a strong and empowering youth message and did deep, genuine work with Black communities and churches throughout the city. He never faltered, watered down or compromised on his positions being a pro-Palestinian, Muslim immigrant (“It’s M-A-M-D-A-N-I”) who is also a proud Democratic socialist.

Not only is Mamdani a climate champion with a demonstrated track record of sponsoring key legislation in his time as an assemblyman, but he and his campaign provide palpable hope in the people’s ability to transcend the trappings of Big Money, whether from Big Oil directly or the rest of the ruling class. Mamdani faced rampant Islamophobia and vicious attack ads on the campaign trail, but New Yorkers ultimately saw through the misinformation.

The symbolism of his win could not come at a better time in the perilous climate we are facing with the federal administration. Cities across the US are rising up against the illegal deportation raids being conducted by ICE. Congress is on the verge of passing a“Big Ugly Bill” that would wreck the US economy and gut life-saving resources like SNAP, Medicaid and critical funding for clean energy. With NYC being the largest and most diverse city in the US, this kind of win sets the tone for how future critical elections can be organized and the kind of candidates we want to see and help win all over this country.

In recent history, the winner of NYC’s Democratic primary has typically gone on to win the general election, and Mamdani certainly has momentum. He will undoubtedly face ongoing misinformation and bigoted attacks as opponents like incumbent mayor Adams seek to maintain control. Yet over the past week, many of the same party and labor forces who backed Cuomo in the primary have either formally switched their support to Mamdani or blatantly admitted that they were simply backing the candidate they thought would win. This is a sobering reminder that institutions tend to be opportunistic and self-serving, but it also shows how quickly the tide can turn with a strong and unwavering message plus a groundswell of people power. 

We are excited to see how this DNA can be replicated in the other mayoral elections happening over the next year and into the 2026 midterms. We are more energized than ever to continue to push an ambitious climate agenda forward in NYC and throughout the US in key races. If you want to join us, let us know that you are a climate voter and stay tuned for future campaigns and opportunities to fight alongside us.