In statements following Zohran Mamdani’s victory this week, Muslim American advocates described his win as both a “historic turning point” and “cultural milestone” as well as an unmistakable rebuke of the ugly Islamophobic attacks he’s endured for months.
“I am young, despite my best efforts to grow older. I am Muslim. I am a democratic socialist. And most damning of all, I refuse to apologize for any of this,” Mamdani said in remarks after his win on Tuesday.
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Mamdani’s election as New York City’s first Muslim Mayor marks a significant breakthrough in representation and also comes after he’s dealt with horrific levels of Islamophobia during his campaign.
Tuesday’s result “shows that Islamophobia is not only morally bankrupt, but also an ineffective political strategy,” the Muslim Public Affairs Council said in a statement about the contest.
Zohran Mamdani speaks after winning the mayoral election, on Nov. 4, 2025, in New York. AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura
Mamdani’s victory made a notable statement about belonging, experts say, after Muslim Americans endured a massive surge of Islamophobia in the years following the September 11th terrorist attacks in the city.
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“The legacy of 9/11 and the War on Terror has wholly shaped the lives of entire generations of Muslims in NYC and beyond,” Sylvia Chan-Malik, a Rutgers professor who teaches about Islam in America,told The Associated Press. A statement from the Muslim Democratic Club of New York stressed that Mamdani’s win “shows that Muslim and immigrant New Yorkers are no longer on the margins, we will now be respected and heard within the walls of City Hall.”
Throughout the election, Mamdani engaged in concerted outreach to Muslim voters including by “visiting mosques and campaigning heavily in neighborhoods with large Muslim populations,” The City reported. Such outreach was part of Mamdani’s goals to represent New Yorkers of all backgrounds, including those who’ve been neglected by political campaigns in the past. During a recent debate, Mamdani challenged Cuomo to point to a time that he’d visited a mosque while he was governor.
Additionally, advocates note that Mamdani’s success is a clear rejection of the vitriol directed at him by Republicans as well as opponents like Cuomo.
In the weeks leading up to the election, Cuomo leaned into a slew of racist attacks, laughing along as a conservative radio host suggested that Mamdani would cheer in the event of another 9/11-style attack.
“Zohran Mamdani’s decisive and historic victory…in the face of a constant stream of vile Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism leveled by politicians from both parties, sent an incredibly powerful message,” said Yasmine Taeb, a legislative and political director at MPower Change Action Fund.
