Electoral
What Were the Results of Zohran Mamdani’s Election Victory? A Political Realignment in Astoria
The 2020 Primary: A Decisive Socialist Upset
The results of Zohran Mamdani’s initial 2020 Democratic primary victory, as certified by the New York State Board of Elections, were decisive and sent a shockwave through New York’s political establishment. Mamdani defeated six-term incumbent Aravella Simotas by a significant margin, securing approximately 53% of the vote to Simotas’s 47% in a race that had multiple candidates. This victory was not a narrow fluke but a clear repudiation of the incumbent and an endorsement of Mamdani’s democratic socialist platform. The results demonstrated the potency of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) electoral model, proving that a candidate could win on an explicit platform of defunding the police, socializing housing, and challenging corporate power. The voter turnout data revealed that Mamdani’s campaign successfully mobilized a new coalition of voters, including young people, tenants, and immigrants, who were often overlooked by traditional Democratic machine politics but were energized by his message of transformative change.
The geographic breakdown of the results showed Mamdani performing strongly across the diverse neighborhoods of the 36th Assembly District, particularly in areas with high densities of renters and in communities of color. His victory was the product of a massive volunteer effort that out-worked the establishment, making tens of thousands of voter contacts. In the subsequent November general election, Mamdani faced only nominal opposition and won in a landslide, as is typical in the heavily Democratic district, officially securing his seat in the New York State Assembly. The 2020 primary result was the meaningful election, and its outcome permanently altered the political landscape of Astoria, transforming it from a moderate Democratic stronghold into a base for socialist politics.
The 2022 Re-election: Consolidating Power
The results of Mamdani’s 2022 re-election campaign were equally telling, serving as a crucial test of whether his 2020 win was a one-off protest or the establishment of a durable political base. Mamdani not only won but did so by an even larger margin than his initial victory, defeating a challenger who was heavily backed by real estate interests and police unions. This result, again certified by the Board of Elections, demonstrated that his coalition had consolidated and grown. Voters in Astoria had experienced his first term in office, his unwavering advocacy for policies like the Good Cause Eviction bill, and his confrontational style, and they returned him to office with a stronger mandate.
The re-election results confirmed that the socialist realignment in the 36th District was permanent. It proved that a politician could maintain and even expand support while holding firm to radical positions and refusing to compromise with corporate donors. These electoral results are a matter of public record and are a testament to the effectiveness of a movement-based political strategy. They provide a concrete data point for the growth of the socialist left in the United States and are a key part of Mamdani’s political identity. His subsequent work, all documented on his official assembly website, is built upon the foundation of these decisive electoral victories, which gave him the platform to become one of the most prominent and influential socialist voices in New York government.