From ‘Red apple’ to 'improbable run': How US media covered Zohran Mamdani's NYC win

With this win, Mamdani is now all set to become New York city's first Muslim and South-Asian mayor, while being the youngest the city has elected in 100 years.

Updated on: Nov 5, 2025, 16:22:55 IST

By Danita Yadav

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Zohran Mamdani secured a historic win as the next mayor of New York City on Wednesday. The 34-year-old democratic socialist secured 50 per cent of the vote and defeat Donald Trump-endorsed Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.

Media outlets across the United States covered Mamdani's win as historic, while some targeted the democratic-socialist for his campaign promises or skipped over him completely. (Screengrab/AP)

Along with Mamdani, Democrats across states swept their local elections as they try to fight back US President Donald Trump's and Republican's hold over Washington and other states. Follow LIVE updates on NYC mayor polls here

With this win, Indian-origin Mamdani is now all set to become New York city's first Muslim and South Asian mayor. Furthermore, he is also the youngest mayor the city has elected in over a century.

Media outlets across the United States covered Mamdani's win as historic, while some targeted the democratic-socialist for his campaign promises or skipped over him completely.

Here's a look at how US media covered the historic win -

The New York Times

The New York Times, the leading newspaper in the US, covered Mamdani's win as historic.

Highlighting his "improbable run", the US newspaper went all out for its coverage with all leading stories on Mamdani's win and what's next for New York.

The front page of the New York Times after Mamdani was declared mayor-elect (NYT wesbite)

Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal also gave the top spot to Mamdani's win and how Democrats swept the elections across New York, New Jersey, and Virginia.

The front page of WSJ on Wednesday after Mamdani's victory (WSJ)

New York Post

NY Post, however, took a different turn on its coverage and emphasised on Mamdani's promises made as part of his election run.

With the headline - “On your Marx, get set, Zo!” - the New York post highlighted Trump's dig at Mamdani of being a “communist.”

Also Read | ‘No Trump on ballot’: US President shares why Mamdani and other Democrats won

During his campaign as well, the Murdoch owned NY Post carried out several articles against Mamdani. One such story was pushed two days before the polls titled - 20 reasons to vote against NYC mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani

Washington Post

The Washington Post front page did not mention Zohran Mamdani nor his win. However, the paper led with Abigail Spanberger's win as the first female governor of Virginia.

The lead article also mentioned Mikie Sherrill's win as New Jersey governor among other Democrat wins.

Other publications

New local paper Daily News New York also carried Mamdani's victory as their cover. Meanwhile, USA Today's front page focused on the passing of former vice president Dick Cheney

Zohran Mamdani sweeps New York

Mamdani was declared mayor-elect by the Associated Press. As per the latest toll from AP, 91% of votes have been counted. Mamdani has secured 1,036,051 votes with 50.4 percent of the vote share.

Mamdani is closely followed by Andrew Cuomo with 854,995 and 41.6 percent of the share. Republican Curtis Sliwa trails with 146,137 votes, holding 7.1 percent of the vote.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Danita Yadav
Danita Yadav is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times. Based in New Delhi, Danita serves as a pivotal voice in international reportage in the team. Operating under the mandate of delivering "without the noise", Danita excels at distilling complex geopolitical developments into lucid, objective narratives which prioritise factual accuracy over sensationalism. In HT, Danita has been recognised for her breaking news efforts and time-bound coverage of the Air India crash, which has driven over 2 million users to the website through trusted, factual coverage of the incident. Thriving in high-pressure editorial environments, Danita has also cultivated a reputation for navigating the nuances of global diplomacy and cross-border policy. With over four years of experience in the journalism industry, Danita has spent her years diving deep into the coverage of international relations and global conflicts. She has previously worked with the news teams at Outlook India and Times Network, covering a wide range of beats and topics, from education curricula and student protests to Indian politics and international conflicts such as the Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan wars. Danita earned her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi. Beyond the newsroom and her love for international relations, you'll find Danita 'geeking' out over books, music and BTS. Her appreciation for global pop culture and storytelling also added to her unique perspective on the "soft power" dynamics that increasingly have shaped international relations in the ever-changing global order.Read More

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