Mamdani rise in NYC mayor's race reflects generational rifts in the Democratic Party

By Brian Mann

Published October 21, 2025 at 5:06 PM EDT

Zohran Mamdani, age 34, is on track to topple Andrew Cuomo who's been Democratic Party royalty for decades. Analysts say Mamdani's hopeful appeals to young voters on social media shook up the race.

Brian Mann

Brian Mann is NPR's first national addiction correspondent. He also covers breaking news in the U.S. and around the world.

Support nonprofit, fact-based public service journalism

WEKU depends on support from those who view and listen to our content. There's no paywall here. Please support WEKU with your donation.

Contribute now

Related Content

The Dial-A-Poem art installation can now reach listeners worldwide on the internet

Kai McNamee

Poet and performance artist John Giorno launched Dial-a-Poem in the 1960s to deliver random poems over the phone. Now, a group continues his work on a new medium -- the internet.
New York's city council looks to ban Central Park horse-drawn carriages

Walter Wuthmann

New York City has long argued over whether to ban the horse-drawn carriages that ferry tourists around Central Park and other sites. Now, it looks like the horses may at last be put out to pasture.
The federal government ends funding for an ambitious AI project

Katia Riddle

The Trump administration has pledged to invest in artificial intelligence. Yet a promising program that uses AI to solve weather-related problems lost funding from the National Science Foundation.
The federal government ends funding for an ambitious AI project

Katia Riddle

The Trump administration has pledged to invest in artificial intelligence. Yet a promising program that uses AI to solve weather-related problems lost funding from the National Science Foundation.
Jewish activist and leader Rabbi Arthur Waskow dies at 92

Deena Prichep

Rabbi Arthur Waskow, noted Jewish activist and author of The Freedom Seder, has died at the age of 92. He spent nearly six decades writing, teaching and changing the shape of American Jewish practice.