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Cheers, chants and tears as Zohran Mamdani supporters celebrate historic win
By
Caroline Lewis
,
Elizabeth Kim
,
Ramsey Khalifeh
and
Stephen Nessen
Published Nov 4, 2025
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Angelina Katsanis / AFP
By
Caroline Lewis
,
Elizabeth Kim
,
Ramsey Khalifeh
and
Stephen Nessen
Published Nov 4, 2025
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When Democrat Zohran Mamdani was declared the next mayor of New York City just after 9:30 p.m. Tuesday — nearly half an hour after the polls closed — supporters at watch parties across the city erupted in cheers.
Mamdani’s win over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa makes him New York City’s first Muslim and first South Asian mayor. At 34, the Queens lawmaker will also be the youngest person to lead the city in more than 100 years.
The largely Latino crowd at a party hosted by the nonprofit Make the Road in Corona, Queens, broke out in chants of “Sí, se pudo!” which translates to “Yes, we did!”
Many of the 50 or so supporters in attendance had spent months canvassing for Mamdani, first in the primary and then again in the general election. They hugged, some cried and many pumped their fists in the air.
A similar scene played out at a basement watch party in Kensington, where Bangladeshi supporters shouted in Bengali and chanted, “Mamdani, Mamdani!”
Soon, their celebration spilled outside, where they continued chanting as they walked down the street.
Many of the Bangladeshi attendees at the party, whom Mamdani might refer to as “aunties” or “uncles,” said they had been tirelessly canvassing for the Democratic candidate, who will make history as the city’s first Muslim and first South Asian mayor.
At a party in Kensington, Brooklyn, Zohran Mamdani supporters erupted in cheers when the race was called for the assemblymember.
Bess Adler
But those in attendance said Mamdani being Muslim was secondary to his other attributes, including his youthful energy and his platform to make the city more affordable.
“Zohran Mamdani is a Muslim, but he’s not just for Muslims,” said Ahsan Bachu, a 60-year-old Muslim at the Kensington party who said he spent election day door-knocking. “He’s for all people in New York, everybody.”
As the news of Mamdani’s victory filtered through the crowd at his own election night party at the Brooklyn Paramount — a vast, ornately decorated venue in Downtown Brooklyn — some appeared caught off guard that the race was being called so early. But surprise quickly gave way to elation as supporters cheered and hugged.
Even amid the excitement, some Mamdani supporters acknowledged that the next mayor has many challenges to take on once he takes office and said they were eager for him to deliver for New Yorkers.
Diane Ramirez, a 42-year-old physical education teacher from Jackson Heights, said she hopes Mamdani makes good on his campaign promises for free buses and childcare. “ I don't want to put pressure on him, but yes, absolutely,” she said.
She also hopes he’ll address the federal crackdown on immigration. “ I think immigrants are the backbone of this country, and right now they're being criminalized,” she said. “I'm hoping that he helps to change that.”
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new york city
Caroline Lewis
Caroline Lewis is on the health care beat for WNYC and Gothamist. She has covered COVID, a nurses' strike, the overdose crisis and New York’s marijuana legalization effort, and spent a year investigating patients' medical bills. She always wants to hear about how everyday New Yorkers experience the health system. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Ramsey Khalifeh
Ramsey Khalifeh is a transportation reporter on the NYC Accountability desk covering the largest transit system in the country. He was previously a general assignment reporter at Gothamist and worked on the Boston Globe's metro and copy desk. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Stephen Nessen
Stephen Nessen covers transportation. Since 2008 he has reported on everything from Occupy Wall Street, the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site, Hurricane Sandy, to Trump’s campaign for president. His transportation reporting has taken him everywhere from the MTA’s secret Rail Control Center to the gleaming subways of Seoul. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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