AP :
Zohran Mamdani’s rise has sparked hope among many of New York City’s more than 300,000 South Asian residents.
For comedian Hari Kondabolu, who has been friends with Mamdani for 15 years, the candidate’s success in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary feels like a personal victory.
“My mom was texting her friends to vote for him. I’ve never seen my mother do that before,” Kondabolu shared. “So, the idea that it’s gotten our whole family activated in this way – this is, like, personal.”
Mamdani shocked the city’s political establishment on Tuesday when he claimed victory in the primary, a ranked choice election where his main opponent, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, ultimately conceded.
When Mamdani launched his campaign, the democratic socialist was considered a long shot.
Now, the 33-year-old state assemblyman stands poised to become New York City’s first Asian American and Muslim mayor. Born in Kampala, Uganda, to Indian parents, Mamdani moved to the United States at age 7 and became a citizen in 2018.
