Zohran Mamdani vows he will enact far-left policies—even if he only wins with 1/3 of vote

New York City socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani said he will pursue his full progressive agenda if elected mayor, even if he wins with a minority of the vote. Because there are several candidates in the race, the vote could be split such that the majority of NYC does not vote for Mamdani, but he would still win.

During a CNN interview Friday night with anchor Abby Phillip, Mamdani was asked how he would lead the city if he secured victory with only about one-third of the vote, given the competitive field that includes former governor Andrew Cuomo, incumbent mayor Eric Adams, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.

“If you were to win in that place, would you see that as a mandate to do all the things that you’ve run on?” Phillips asked.

“If you win an election, you have to govern to fulfill the promises of that. Otherwise, what is the point of our politics,” Mamdani replied. He added that he draws inspiration from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s view that political capital must be used to deliver on campaign commitments.

“That’s what I would do. And confident bringing even more New Yorkers into the political process like we did in June, where we saw the largest number of young people coming out to vote that we’ve seen in recent history in the city,” Mamdani added.

Mamdani’s platform includes some of the most far-left proposals seen in recent city politics, such as tax hikes on millionaires and corporations, government-owned grocery stores, and a rent freeze on certain housing. His agenda has raised concerns within the Democratic Party establishment, where many figures are hoping Cuomo can prevent Mamdani from securing a victory in the election.

“They are hoping at least Cuomo makes it close so Mamdani doesn’t have a mandate,” one real estate source told the New York Post. President Trump has also expressed concern about the race, warning that he does not want to see New York City led by a socialist mayor.