Democrat Zohran Mamdani sweeps to victory in New York City mayoral election and lays down challenge to Trump - live

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'A local victory' that offers resistance to Washington

Mamdani’s victory in the New York mayoral race caps a meteoric and unlikely rise, from anonymous state lawmaker to one of the country’s most visible Democratic figures. He is a figure on the left being watched internationally.

When the race was called in his favor last night, excitement was palpable across NYC.

It was a “local victory” that offered a means of “resisting and pushing back” against Washington’s political establishment, Ben Parisi, 40, told AFP.

The mood, he added, was a significant contrast to last year’s Trump victory.

Mamdani triumphs on strong night for the Democrats

It was an encouraging night for the left in America with Democratic wins in three key races sending a warning signal to Trump ahead of midterms next year.

The key takeaways:

• Zohran Mamdani is the mayor-elect of New York City with a commanding victory over former governor Andrew Cuomo. With more than 97% of the votes counted, the 34-year-old received more votes – at least 1.03 million – than all the other candidates combined, including Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.

• Democrats also won two key state governor races with Abigail Spanberger triumphing in Virginia and Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey.

• California passed Proposition 50, a measure which will temporarily redistrict the state in hopes of countering Republican efforts to do the same in Texas. The new maps could help Democrats pick up five additional seats in the US House of Representatives.

• President Donald Trump distanced himself from the losses, suggesting on social media that the Republican defeats were due to the government shutdown and because his own name was not on the ballot.

• As Mamdani delivered his victory speech, the president also posted a cryptic missive: “AND SO IT BEGINS!”.

• Mamdani directly challenged Trump in his victory speech in Brooklyn, vowing to use his role to counter his politics of division. “Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: turn the volume up.”

Dawn of a leftist mayor

Good morning – it is the dawn of a new era in New York City where many are celebrating after a decisive mayoral race victory for Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani.

Mamdani is the city’s first Muslim mayor and at 34, the youngest to serve in more than a century.

In an exultant speech at his victory party last night, Mamdani took it to Trump directly, saying he knew the Republican president was watching.

“If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him.”

“In this moment of political darkness, New York will be the light.”

Let’s get into it.