New York State assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, the probable Democratic nominee for New York City’s upcoming mayoral election, is only 33 years old — but his political career spans back to at least 2009.
That’s when, as a student, he ran for vice president of The Bronx High School of Science. It was “ultimately an unsuccessful run,” Mamdani said on a 2017 episode of the “AirGo” podcast, noting the other vice-presidential candidate “whooped my ass in that election.” A social studies teacher later told him that his rap campaign video cost him the election, Mamdani added.
Mamdani currently serves in the New York State Assembly as a representative of the 36th district, based in Queens. He likely secured the Democratic nomination for the city’s mayoral race in November during primary voting on Tuesday, running a campaign that has so far has focused on lowering New York’s cost of living. His policy proposals include free buses and a freeze on the city’s 960,600 rent-stabilized apartments, for example.
If elected in November, he’ll be New York’s youngest mayor since 1914.
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