You probably didn't see this coming a year ago. Honestly, if you’d told a New Yorker in 2024 that the 112th mayor of the city would be a 34-year-old democratic socialist from Astoria who knocked off a political dynasty, they’d have told you to go back to sleep. But here we are. The 2025 election wasn't just another cycle; it was a total fever dream that fundamentally changed the city’s power structure.
New York’s political landscape basically exploded in slow motion. We went from a sitting mayor fighting federal indictments to a crowded primary of veteran politicians, only for the "inevitable" candidates to get swamped by a grassroots surge. If you've been trying to keep track of who running for mayor in new york was actually on the ballot by the end, it’s a list that reads like a "who’s who" of New York chaos.
The Shocking Ascent of Zohran Mamdani
Zohran Mamdani wasn't supposed to win. Period. The guy started the race as a State Assemblyman with high energy but low name recognition compared to the giants in the room. He ran on a platform that sounded, to many in the establishment, like a wishlist from a different planet. We’re talking about a $30 minimum wage by 2030, city-owned grocery stores to combat food deserts, and a complete freeze on rent-stabilized apartments.
People called it "idealism." His opponents called it "unworkable." But for a city where the "rent is too damn high" isn't just a meme but a daily crisis, those "slick slogans" (as Andrew Cuomo called them) started to stick. Mamdani didn't just win the Democratic primary; he crushed it by mobilizing a massive wave of young voters and Latinos who felt the traditional Democratic machine had left them behind. By the time he hit the general election, he wasn't just a "socialist candidate"—he was the front-runner.
The Cuomo Comeback That Almost Was
Then there’s Andrew Cuomo. You’ve gotta hand it to the guy’s persistence. After resigning the governorship in 2021 amid a sea of scandals, he spent years in the political wilderness before deciding the Mayor’s office was his path to redemption. He ran a campaign built on the idea of the "steady hand"—someone who knew how to pull the levers of power in Albany and City Hall.
Cuomo’s strategy was basically to position himself as the only adult in the room. He promised to hire 5,000 more NYPD officers and focused heavily on public safety and "affordability through experience." When he lost the Democratic primary to Mamdani, he didn't pack it up. He launched the "Fight and Deliver Party" and ran as an independent.
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It created this bizarre dynamic where the sitting mayor, Eric Adams, eventually endorsed Cuomo—his former rival—just to try and stop Mamdani. It was a "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" situation that felt more like a season of Succession than a local election.
What Happened to Eric Adams?
It’s the question everyone was asking all through 2025. Eric Adams’ path to reelection was... rocky, to put it lightly. Between the federal investigations, the bribery charges (which were later dropped by the Trump DOJ in early 2025), and a plummeting approval rating, the "Mayor of Nightlife" found himself without a party.
In a move that surprised no one but still felt dramatic, Adams dropped out of the Democratic primary in April 2025. He tried to run as an independent for a few months, but by September, with poll numbers in the low single digits, he called it quits. His exit left a vacuum that the centrist wing of the city tried desperately to fill, eventually coalescing behind Cuomo in a last-ditch effort that fell short.
The Familiar Face: Curtis Sliwa
You can’t talk about who running for mayor in new york without mentioning the man in the red beret. Curtis Sliwa, the Guardian Angels founder, was back for another round. Running as the Republican nominee, Sliwa played the hits: more police, tougher stances on homelessness, and constant jabs at "communist" policies.
Sliwa’s role in 2025 was mostly as a spoiler or a "reality check," depending on who you ask. He refused to drop out even when Republican donors begged him to clear the way for Cuomo to take on Mamdani one-on-one. Sliwa’s argument? "I’m the only one standing between a socialist and a 'socialist lite.'" He ended up with a respectable chunk of the vote, proving that his brand of populist conservatism still has a heartbeat in the outer boroughs, even if it can't win citywide.
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Why the Polls Got It So Wrong
In June 2025, most polls had Cuomo winning the primary by double digits. Even the "DREAM for NYC" (Don't Rank Eric or Andrew for Mayor) campaign seemed like a niche progressive project. But New York uses Ranked Choice Voting (RCV), and that changed everything.
- Round 1: Mamdani and Cuomo were neck-and-neck.
- The Transfers: When candidates like Brad Lander (the City Comptroller) and Jessica Ramos were eliminated, their votes didn't go to the "experienced" Cuomo. They flooded toward Mamdani.
- The Result: Mamdani pulled off a 13-point victory in the final round of the primary.
This pattern repeated in the general election. While the media focused on the "tightening race" and Cuomo’s late endorsements from people like Mike Bloomberg and Al Sharpton, the ground game was elsewhere. Mamdani’s team wasn't looking for endorsements; they were looking for people who had never voted in a local election before.
The Key Players Who Shaped the Race
While they didn't make it to the final ballot, these figures were the ones who moved the needle:
Brad Lander: The Comptroller ran a serious, policy-heavy campaign focused on retail theft and homelessness. While he didn't win, his supporters basically handed the keys to Mamdani during the RCV rounds.
Jessica Ramos: The State Senator from Queens brought the "childcare is a public health emergency" message to the forefront. Even after she endorsed Cuomo late in the game, her early advocacy for working moms stayed a central theme of the entire cycle.
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Scott Stringer: Trying for a comeback after his 2021 loss, Stringer focused on government corruption. He couldn't quite get the momentum to break out of the single digits, but he kept the pressure on the "old guard" to justify their records.
What This Means for You Now
So, the dust has settled. Zohran Mamdani was inaugurated on January 1, 2026. If you live, work, or invest in NYC, the "who was running" part matters less now than "what are they doing."
- Watch the Rent: The promised rent freeze is the big one. Landlords are already suing to stop it, so expect a massive legal battle in the courts throughout 2026.
- Public Safety Shifts: With Cuomo’s "5,000 more cops" plan dead, the focus is shifting to Mamdani’s "Department of Community Safety." This means more social workers and mental health professionals responding to non-violent calls.
- The "Free" Bus Experiment: If you see "Fare Free" signs on city buses, that’s the Mamdani administration at work. It’s a pilot program, but if it sticks, it changes the commute for millions.
New York City politics is never boring, but the 2025-2026 transition has been a total paradigm shift. We’ve moved from the "tough-on-crime" era of Adams and the "managerial" era of Bloomberg into something entirely experimental. Whether it works or not? Well, that's what the next four years are for.
Next Steps for New Yorkers: Check your local community board meetings to see how the new "Community Safety" initiatives are being implemented in your specific neighborhood, and keep an eye on the Rent Guidelines Board for the upcoming 2026 vote on stabilized leases.