Cuomo Concedes to Mamdani in NYC Mayoral Primary, Final Results Pending Ranked-Choice Count

Former Governor Andrew Cuomo called State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani to congratulate him on a likely victory in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor, with preliminary results showing Mamdani leading at 43.5% to Cuomo’s 36%. City Comptroller Brad Lander trailed at 11%. The New York City Board of Elections expects final results, determined by ranked-choice voting (RCV), by the end of next week.

Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist, surged in polls with a progressive platform advocating free buses and rent freezes, backed by figures like Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. His joint campaign with Lander, urging voters to rank each other highly while excluding Cuomo, likely strengthened his position for the RCV tally, where second- and third-choice votes are redistributed.

Cuomo, who led early polls with support from establishment figures like Michael Bloomberg, faced challenges from his 2021 resignation amid scandal. Despite conceding, he may continue his campaign via a third-party “Fight and Deliver” ballot line in the general election against incumbent Mayor Eric Adams and Republican Curtis Sliwa.

The final RCV results will confirm whether Mamdani’s lead holds, potentially marking a progressive shift in NYC’s Democratic politics with national implications.