AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report. I’m Amy Goodman in New York, joined by Democracy Now!’s Juan González in Chicago.

Hi, Juan.

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Hi, Amy, and welcome to all of our listeners and viewers across the country and around the world.

AMY GOODMAN: History unfolded here in New York City Tuesday night as Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani carried out a stunning upset, defeating Andrew Cuomo in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary. Mamdani, a 33-year-old New York state assemblymember was the first choice in the ranked-choice election. Outside funders shattered records as they spent more than $25 million to back former New York governor Andrew Cuomo’s attempt at a political comeback four years after he resigned over sexual misconduct allegations by at least 11 women who were former staffers. In contrast, Mamdani ran an energetic grassroots campaign focused on making the city affordable for working people and was endorsed by independent Senator Bernie Sanders and Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

As the results became clear late last night, Cuomo conceded and called Mamdani to congratulate him. In November, Zohran Mamdani will face off against the current mayor, Eric Adams, as well as a Republican candidate, and possibly former governor Andrew Cuomo, who recently launched a new third-party line, though it’s unclear he’ll run. If Mamdani wins in November, he will become New York City’s first Muslim mayor and youngest mayor in over a century. In his victory speech Tuesday night, Zohran Mamdani laid out why he won.

ZOHRAN MAMDANI: We have won because New Yorkers have stood up for a city they can afford. A city where they can do more than just struggle. One where those who toil in the night can enjoy the fruits of their labor in the day. Where hard work is repaid with a stable life. Where eight hours on the factory floor or behind the wheel of a cab is enough to pay the mortgage. It is enough to keep the lights on. It is enough to send your kid to school. Where rent-stabilized apartments are actually stabilized. Where buses are fast and free. Where childcare doesn’t cost more than CUNY. And where public safety keeps us truly safe.

And it’s where the mayor will use their power to reject Donald Trump’s fascism, to stop mass ICE agents from deporting our neighbors and to govern our city as a model for the Democratic Party. A party where we fight for working people with no apology. A life of dignity should not be reserved for a fortunate few. It should be one that city government guarantees for each and every New Yorker. If this campaign has demonstrated anything to the world, it is that our dreams can become reality. Dreaming demands hope. And when I think of hope, I think of the unprecedented coalition of New Yorkers that we have built. For this, this is not my victory, this is ours.

AMY GOODMAN: That’s Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani speaking at his victory party last night after he defeated former governor Andrew Cuomo in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary in what some are calling a political revolution. He also thanked his parents, his mother, the film director Mira Nair, and his father, Columbia University professor, Mahmoud Mamdani. Special thanks to Laura Bustillos for being there.

Mamdani’s victory was celebrated at multiple massive jubilant watch parties hosted by New York City chapter of Democratic Socialists of America, which played a key role in organizing his campaign. Meanwhile, the Working Families Party endorsed four candidates in a strategy to beat Cuomo with Mamdani as number one and said they would refuse to offer Cuomo the Working Families Party ballot line, even if he became the nominee. That will not be an issue now.

For more, we’re joined by Maurice Mitchell, the National Director for the Working Families Party based here in New York. We last spoke to you during our coverage of the DNC, the Democratic National Convention, in Chicago. Can you respond to Mamdani’s upset victory and the surge of grassroots support, especially young people, as he walked from one end of Manhattan to the other?

MAURICE MITCHELL: Well, Amy, Zohran’s campaign is a bellwether. This is one of the first major primaries of the year, and Zohran’s surge is, to me, clear proof that people want leaders who will stand up for working people, and the contrast couldn’t be more clear. So, you have Zohran, who walked from the northernmost part of Manhattan all the way down, right? And you have Cuomo who, basically, he ran a campaign where nobody could find him. He was running away from his record. He ran a campaign that was based on fear. He ran a campaign that was emblematic of the status-quo politics of the past. Cuomo’s somebody who grew up in the governor’s mansion and spent his career making deals to please his billionaire donors.

And Zohran built a grassroots campaign of everyday New Yorkers, a very broad and diverse set of folks. And when you look at where his campaign was able to win and where our coalition was able to win, it’s every single part of New York. This is a resounding victory for Zohran, for our movement, but for everyday working New Yorkers. And really, this, to me, is a bellwether of more to come across the country. This is an example of the type of politics that we think would help create a multiracial working-class alignment against authoritarianism, but for a type of politics that is hopeful, that is visionary, that says, “We want something. We don’t simply want to fight against something.” And I think this is an example of more to come.

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And Maurice, normally, whoever wins the Democratic primary for mayor is basically a shoo-in to be elected mayor. But this year, things are somewhat different. You have the incumbent mayor running as an Independent. Of course, you have a Republican, Curtis Sliwa of the Guardian Angels. Looks like he is running on the Republican end. You have Jim Walden, a major lawyer in the city running. And of course, the possibility that Cuomo himself will run. What do you see happening in terms of the Democratic establishment that opposed Mamdani? Where will many of them go now?

MAURICE MITCHELL: Well, last night, we saw, within hours, a resigned, defeated, embattled Governor Cuomo give a concession speech. And to me, that’s an example of a failed set of politics, a failed approach, a campaign that used every trick in the book, used all the tactics and was backed by $25 million of billionaire money from folks like Alex Karp, the CEO of Palantir, right? Some really, really bad people who are advancing authoritarianism. Trump donors like Bill Ackman. So, what I saw was a complete collapse of that strategy, and I think the Cuomo folks are probably rethinking any ideas that they might have.

But it’s pretty obvious where the momentum is, and I know in the general election, Zohran and his coalition is going to run a very rigorous general election that doesn’t take anything for granted or any New Yorker for granted, the same type of campaign that was run in the primary. And I feel very, very, very confident that Zohran is not simply the Democratic nominee but is the presumptive mayor based on the momentum of this campaign and this movement. This is one of the most exciting electoral movements of our era.

AMY GOODMAN: I think, Mo, that no one can deny that Zohran Mamdani made quite a splash.

ZOHRAN MAMDANI: …your rent, as the next mayor of New York City. Let’s plunge into the details.

AMY GOODMAN: So, that was the video of Zohran Mamdani jumping into the Atlantic Ocean in his suit, saying, “I’m freezing the rent.” I want to end with Zohran Mamdani himself and another part of his speech. Of course, we’re going to talk about this over the next weeks as we lead into the November election. This is Zohran Mamdani in his victory speech last night.

ZOHRAN MAMDANI: In these dark times, I know that it is harder than ever to keep faith in our democracy. It has been attacked by billionaires and their big spending, by elected officials who care more about self-enrichment than the public trust and by authoritarian leaders who rule through fear. But above all, our democracy has been attacked from within. For too long, New Yorkers have strained to find a leader who represents us, who puts us first. And we have been betrayed time and again. After so many disappointments, the heart hardens. Belief becomes elusive. And when we no longer believe in our democracy, it only becomes easier for people like Donald Trump to convince us of his worth, for billionaires to convince us that they must always lead.

As FDR said, “Democracy has disappeared in several other great nations, not because the people dislike democracy, but because they had grown tired of unemployment and insecurity, of seeing their children hungry while they sat helpless in the face of government confusion and weakness. In desperation, they chose to sacrifice liberty in the hope of getting something to eat.” New York, if we have made one thing clear over these past months, it is that we need not choose between the two. We can be free, and we can be fed. We can demand what we deserve. And together, we have built a movement where everyday New Yorkers recognize themselves in our vision of democracy.

AMY GOODMAN: Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani in his victory speech last night in Long Island City.

This is Democracy Now!. Special thanks to Maurice “Mo” Mitchell, National Director for the Working Families Party.

Coming up, to Gaza, where Israeli forces and drones opened fire once again on Palestinians lined up for food. Stay with us.

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AMY GOODMAN: “People Have the Power,” by Patti Smith, joined by Michael Stipe, performing at Democracy Now!’s 20th anniversary years ago.