New York has elected its first-ever Muslim mayor, and its youngest candidate in more than a century.
Zohran Mamdani, 34, won the election with more than one million New Yorkers embracing his vision for an affordable and diverse city.
Despite the historic win, Mamdani has already ruffled the feathers of the Republican party, who aren’t too happy that a Democratic Socialist – or as they refer to him, a ‘communist’, has been elected mayor.
Last night, after the election results were certified, Fox News host Sean Hannity appeared on air with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to discuss the matter.
‘I’m literally in tears. I’m having a hard time keeping a straight face,’ he said.
Hannity went on to speak about how his friends had been sending him memes about Mamdani’s win prompting New Yorkers to move down to Florida.
‘I’m grateful I have a good governor,’ he added, before appearing to sniff.
Hannity is one of many Republicans who are outraged by Mamdani’s win. Disgraced former Republican United States Representative and convicted felon George Santos went on a rampange on X.
‘F*** you Curtis Sliwa. I HATE YOU, your dumb wife, that stupid beret of yours and all your f***ing cats,’ he wrote, speaking of the Republican candidate which garnered around 7.1% of the votes.
Many Republicans considered a vote for Sliwa as a vote thrown away, when it could have been given to other opponent, Andrew Cuomo, who received 41% of the votes.
President Donald Trump was simple with his response to the results.
He wrote on Truth Social: ‘…AND SO IT BEGINS!’
Days earlier, he said: ‘If Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the Election for Mayor of New York City, it is highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required, to my beloved first home, because of the fact that, as a Communist, this once great City has ZERO chance of success, or even survival!’
Despite the pressure from other political parties, Mamdani has stood firm in his beliefs.
What are Zohran Mamdani's policies?
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, universal childcare and city-owned supermarkets.
In one of the most expensive cities in the world – where a three-bedroom flat can easily cost $6,000 a month – his message seems to have struck a chord with many.
His image as a fresh voice for people rapidly grew since he declared his candidacy for mayor in October last year.
Mamdani has also been one of the most vocal politicians against Israel’s war in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
In 2023, he introduced a bill to end the tax-exempt status of charities in New York with ties to Israeli settlements that violate international human rights law.
But the bill quickly went nowhere after a lack of support from the Assembly.
The mayor-elect gave a speech shortly after the results dropped and, with his signature smile, told supporters: ‘As Eugene Debs once said, I can see the dawn of a better day for humanity.’
‘The conventional wisdom would tell you that I am far from the perfect candidate.
‘I am young, despite my best efforts to grow older. I am Muslim. I am a democratic socialist. And most damning of all, I refuse to apologise for any of this.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
