‘Making history’: Mamdani to voters on election eve as Trump backs Cuomo - Assalaamu Alaikum
Assalaamu Alaikum - New York City - For Zohran Mamdani, it all begins and ends in Astoria, the Queens neighbourhood he’s served as a state assemblyman for five years, and where he gave his first remarks after his surprise win in the June Democratic primary for mayor.
On Monday evening, the 34-year-old made his last public stop before Tuesday’s election, speaking at a playground as kids played and laughed nearby.
Speaking to his legion of volunteers - the campaign says more than 100,000 people have helped - he urged them to “leave everything out there on the field.”
“These are the hands that brought us to this moment of making history in this city,” he said, “showing that when you focus on and fight for working people, you can reshape the politics of the place you call home.”
While US President Donald Trump has benefited from voter frustration over affordability to win nationally, Mamdani argues his campaign can tackle those same problems in America’s largest city.
Trump’s presence loomed large on Monday: earlier the president publicly endorsed former Governor Andrew Cuomo, urging New Yorkers to pick the “bad Democrat” over what he called a “communist,” a label he has used against democratic socialist Mamdani. Billionaire Elon Musk also announced support for Cuomo, who is running as an independent after losing the Democratic primary.
Recent polls still showed Mamdani with a solid, if narrowing, lead over Cuomo. Late endorsements and appeals to conservative voters to switch to Cuomo could shake up an already unpredictable contest.
Mamdani’s supporters on Monday hoped his speech would be the capstone to a campaign many see as a rebuke of donor-driven, entrenched party elites that Cuomo is often associated with.
“I feel amazing right now,” said Tasnuva Khan, one of the canvassers, adding that the race highlighted the influence of Muslim voters and the growing Bangladeshi community in the city.
If he wins, Mamdani would be the first Muslim, the first person of South Asian descent, and the first person born in Africa to lead the city.
“But I’m trying to stay balanced. What wins elections are votes. As long as we stay focused, reach out to our community, keep canvassing and knocking on doors, I think we can deliver,” she said.
Shabnam Salehezadehi, a dentist from Long Island City and a Mamdani backer, said she worries the hard work begins after Election Day. Winning is only the start; to implement big promises - free buses, universal childcare, rent freezes for many apartments paid for by higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy - he’ll need support from both state and city lawmakers.
“I’m really anxious - not so much about whether he’ll win,” she said. She was drawn to Mamdani for his outspoken support for Palestinian rights, which sets him apart from the traditional Democratic establishment.
“Really hope we have the mandate to show Zohran Mamdani is who the city voted for,” she added.
Cuomo spent Monday crisscrossing the city, visiting neighborhoods in the Bronx, Manhattan and Brooklyn. In the Fordham area of the Bronx, representing many working-class, minority neighborhoods Cuomo won in the primary, he warned against a “socialist city” if Mamdani were elected, citing failures he says socialism produced abroad.
At another stop, Cuomo dismissed Trump’s endorsement, insisting he remains a proud Democrat. “Mamdani is not a communist,” he said. “He’s a socialist. But we don’t need a socialist mayor either.”
For others, like 69-year-old special educator Gwendolyn Paige from the Bronx, the “socialist” label isn’t the issue. She pointed to Cuomo’s controversies and history but said she believes Cuomo would stand up to the Trump administration.
“So tomorrow Trump will say something else,” she said. “I don’t put much stock in it.”
At least 735,000 voters took part in early voting, out of roughly 4.7 million registered city voters. Polls are open from 6am to 9pm on Tuesday, with a winner expected in the hours after; the victor will take office in January.
With hours to go, many votes remain undecided. Lisa Gonzalez, a retired Army veteran, said low-income residents face hard times and pointed to cuts and proposed cuts to food assistance this year.
Trump has also threatened to reduce federal funding for New York City and even suggested deploying the National Guard if Mamdani wins.
“I’m still deciding. The stakes feel really high,” Gonzalez said. “I’m going to be very careful when I vote tomorrow.”
May Allah guide the voters to what is best for the community and grant wisdom to our leaders.
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