Zohran Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and is of Indian descent, stood out for his energetic campaigning style and eye-catching policy proposals. (TikTok pic)NEW YORK: New York City Democrats chose 33-year-old Muslim socialist Zohran Mamdani as their mayoral candidate in today鈥檚 elections, stunning his opponent, former New York governor Andrew Cuomo.鈥淭onight was not our night,鈥 Cuomo, a political veteran who was vying to come back from a sexual harassment scandal, told supporters at an election night party.鈥淚 called him, I congratulated him鈥 he won,鈥 he said.In what appears to be the left-leaning city鈥檚 rebuke of the Democratic party鈥檚 veteran moderates 鈥 and New York鈥檚 rarely claimed native son, Republican US President Donald Trump 鈥 Mamdani led with 43% of the vote with 95% of ballots counted, city officials reported.The party鈥檚 primary contest featured almost a dozen candidates seeking to become mayor of the biggest US city, where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans three to one.Voters cast ballots during a smothering heatwave before polls closed at 9pm today, but results may take time to finalise.The contest is ranked-choice, with voters asked to select five candidates in order of preference, and neither Cuomo nor Mamdani claimed the required majority yesterday.If no candidate wins 50% of the vote, election officials begin eliminating lowest-ranking candidates and recounting, a process that can take days.With the Democrats reeling nationally from Trump鈥檚 presidential election last year, the high-profile city race has done little to calm party nerves.However, Mamdani鈥檚 upbeat campaign, built with youthful social media savvy and campaign promises to improve the city鈥檚 affordability, appears to have resonated with voters.Cuomo stepped down as New York governor four years ago after multiple women accused him of sexual harassment.He was also accused of mismanaging the state鈥檚 response to the Covid pandemic.Staunchly pro-Israel Cuomo led in polls for most of the race, with massive name recognition as the son of another New York governor, as well as support from powerful centrist figures including former president Bill Clinton.Mamdani, meanwhile, is backed by the Democratic Socialists of America 鈥 the kind of niche, leftist affiliation that might work in the Big Apple but many analysts warn against.The fact that Mamdani speaks out for Palestinians and has accused Israel of 鈥済enocide鈥 also makes him a prime target for Trump.His supporters include two favourite Trump foils 鈥 fiery leftist senator Bernie Sanders and progressive congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who both congratulated Mamdani yesterday.鈥淏illionaires and lobbyists poured millions against you and our public finance system. And you won,鈥 Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X.Sanders posted on X to say: 鈥淵ou took on the political, economic and media Establishment 鈥 and you beat them鈥.Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate, said Mamdani 鈥渋s too extreme for a city already on edge.鈥滺e added on X: 鈥淭his is not the time for radical politics. It is time for real leadership. I have fought for this city my whole life. Not for fame or power but because I believe in the people who live here鈥 Let鈥檚 win this on November 4th!鈥漋oters told AFP they saw the ballot as an opportunity to guide party politics.鈥淚 see it as a referendum of the Democratic Party, whether we lean more towards the centrist candidate, who鈥檚 maybe from a different generation of politicians and people in society, or a younger, left-leaning, more ambitious, idealistic party,鈥 voter Nicholas Zantal, 31, said.Big ideas, low experience Currently a New York state assemblyman representing the borough of Queens, Mamdani stands out for his energetic campaigning style and eye-catching policy proposals that include freezing rent for many New Yorkers, providing free bus service, and universal childcare.In a wildly expensive city, where a three-bedroom apartment can easily cost US$6,000 a month, he has surged from behind.鈥淭omorrow is ours if we want it,鈥 Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and is of Indian descent, said late Monday in a social media post.鈥淲e are on the cusp of toppling a political dynasty, and delivering a New York everyone can afford,鈥 he said.Voter Eamon Harkin, 48, said prices were his 鈥渘umber one issue鈥.鈥淲hat鈥檚 at stake is primarily the affordability of New York,鈥 he said.However, Sheryl Stein, who works in tourism marketing, was skeptical.鈥淚 like youth,鈥 she said. But Mamdani having 鈥渘o experience and no proven track record to run the largest city in this country and one of the largest in the world, is pretty scary鈥.The confirmed winner of the Democratic Party nomination will face several contenders in November 鈥 including the current, scandal-plagued mayor, Eric Adams, who is a Democrat but has vowed to run again as an independent.