21 Questions About the NYC Mayoral Race, Answered

New York City voters and politicos nationwide are still catching their collective breath after Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani’s surprisingly decisive win in the Democratic mayoral primary last month. The victory of Mr. Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist who rose to prominence through viral social media videos, over former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s significant advantages in name recognition and fund-raising is already reordering traditional Democratic alliances. Some business leaders are openly fretting and strategizing about how to defeat him in November’s general election.

We asked readers to hit us with their questions about the candidates, the electoral process, the ripple effects of the race and our coverage of it. More than a hundred questions poured in, from all over the country and world. Our team of expert political beat reporters and editors — plus a few guest stars — answer a selection of them here.

We’ll keep at it until the November election, sharing selections in our New York Today newsletter. Submit your questions here, and sign up here to get the newsletter delivered to your inbox.

— Dean Chang and Jodi Rudoren

What does Mr. Mamdani stand for?

I was born in Cuba, grew up in Miami and have been living in N.Y.C. for over 10 years. How can I explain to my loved ones that Mamdani is not a communist?

— Anel Rodriguez, New York

Maya King, one of our New York political reporters, explains:

Mr. Mamdani is a democratic socialist. But that political ideology lacks a distinct definition, which supporters and detractors have both exploited. President Trump is one of many to call Mr. Mamdani a communist, a label he rejects.