Andrew Cuomo’s scandal-plagued political career came to an unceremonious end Tuesday when voters overwhelmingly ranked their former governor below a 33-year-old socialist who wants to abolish the police and establish city-run grocery stores. Zohran Mamdani, an Assemblyman from Queens, emerged from the first round of New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary with around 44% of the vote. Cuomo — who resigned as governor in 2021 amid allegations that he sexually harassed female staffers — came in second, with around 36% of votes. He called to congratulate Mamdani on his victory late Tuesday night, and did not say if he still plans to appear on the ballot for the Fight And Deliver Party, which he formed for this race. “Tonight was not our night,” Cuomo said. “Tonight was Assemblyman Mamdani’s night.” New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, a progressive stalwart who recently got himself arrested at an anti-ICE protest, secured 11% of votes, placing third. New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who sidestepped the Democratic primary entirely to run as an independent, told reporters today that he voted in the primary: for himself, all five times. Mayor Adams casts his vote at PS 81 in the Democratic primary. He said he’d vote for “Eric Adams 1-5,” writing himself in instead of casting his ballot for one of the candidates (he’s opted out of the primary). I asked if he’d vote for @OsseChi, and he shot a v skeptical look pic.twitter.com/Ct5csrPTna — Josie Stratman (@JosieStratman) June 24, 2025 Mamdani’s clear, early lead came as a bit of a shock following polls that put him and Cuomo neck-and-neck in the days leading up to the election. An Emerson College poll released Monday had Cuomo leading Mamdani by a slim 35% to 32% margin in first-choice votes, but found that Mamdani pulled ahead after several rounds. But a Marist University poll conducted a week prior showed Cuomo winning both in the first round and after several rounds of ranked choice. Tuesday’s election marks the beginning of the end of a colorful and contentious primary race between 11 candidates. New York City uses ranked choice voting, in which voters select up to five candidates and rank them in order of preference. Election officials won’t declare a winner until one candidate wins more than 50% of first choice votes. If no candidate does on the first ballot, each voter’s last-ranked candidate is eliminated, and the votes are recalculated. It took two weeks and eight rounds of counting for Adams to clinch the nomination, though Mamdani will likely clinch the nomination sooner, given his lead. The New York City Board of Elections is expected to deliver a final result in a week. Regardless of who ultimately wins the Democratic nomination, Cuomo, Mamdani, and Adams are set to be on the ballot in November’s general election. They’ll face off against Republican Curtis Silwa, a talk show host, and independent Jim Walden, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Cuomo, still mired by sexual harassment allegations and his botched handling of the COVID pandemic, became an early foil for his more progressive opponents. Mamdani encouraged his supporters to donate to rival progressive Adrienne Adams’ campaign. Last month, Mamdani and Lander cross-endorsed each other, urging voters not to rank Cuomo. True to his pledge, on Tuesday, Lander told guests at his election night party that “with our help, Zohran Mamdani will be the Democratic nominee” and reportedly led a “goodbye Cuomo” chant at his election night party, according to the New York Times. While none of the Democratic mayoral candidates cross-endorsed Cuomo, the former mayor racked up endorsements from big-name Democrats like Bill Clinton and Michael Bloomberg. Mamdani has the backing of progressive stalwarts like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and a slew of celebrities including Emily Ratajkowski and Cynthia Nixon, who called Cuomo a “TRUMP BILLIONAIRE-FUNDED SEX PREDATOR.” Run don’t walk to GO VOTE FOR ⁦ZOHRAN MAMDANI⁩ FOR NYC Mayor!!! Rank ⁦Zohran #1 Brad Lander #2 Adrienne Adams/Scott Stringer/Michael Blake or Zellnor Myrie #3 to #5. DO NOT RANK TRUMP BILLIONAIRE-FUNDED SEX PREDATOR ANDREW CUOMO pic.twitter.com/cydMezdSU7 — Cynthia Nixon (@CynthiaNixon) June 24, 2025 Mamdani, who won a majority of early votes, leaned into his socialism throughout the campaign. He pledged to freeze rent, establish city-run grocery stores, and devote $65 million to transgender procedures for both kids and adults. Mamdani has also promised to make school lunches, city buses, and childcare free, and to establish a “Department of Community Safety” to “prevent violence before it happens” — which critics say is simply an effort to defund the police. He was not the only candidate with a radical policy platform. Lander called for New York City to become a national abortion hub, and proposed solving the city’s housing crisis by paving over — and building apartments on — municipal golf courses. Assemblyman Michael Blake called to dispatch therapists to respond to 911 calls in lieu of police. And State Senator Zellnor Myrie called for the city to impose anti-racism curricula in its kindergartens. Also on the ballot Tuesday was Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. A soft-on-crime Soros prosecutor best known for his relentless pursuit of President Donald Trump, Bragg easily defeated his sole challenger to secure the Democratic nomination.

'minimizes the importance of policing'

'Children’s hospitals should be places where sick children can receive high-quality and evidence-based care, not laboratories'

'What will Iran do?'

What are we up to, Cody

A cat wandered onto someone's patio after years of living on the streets, not knowing that his life was about to change. MagnusChatonsOrphelinsMontrealLast summer, a large tomcat with a missing eye was spotted roaming the neighborhood, but whenever neighbors tried to help, he would vanish without a trace.They didn't see him all winter and feared he might not have survived. "When winter ended, he surprised everyone by showing up on a neighbor's patio, where a humane trap had been set up (to help the local strays)," Chatons Orphelins Montreal shared."All the stars were aligned for him that day." ChatonsOrphelinsMontrealDriven by hunger, the cat walked straight into the trap and devoured the food as the door shut behind him. After months of worry, the neighbors could finally breathe a sigh of relief, knowing he was safe. "This cat with enormous cheeks was named Magnus.""Thanks to his rescuers, he was finally able to receive the care he desperately needed." ChatonsOrphelinsMontrealAt eight years old, he underwent surgery to address his missing eye and began his healing journey in the comfort of a foster home. After spending most of his life braving the streets, it was no surprise that he tested positive for FIV. (FIV+ cats can live a long, healthy life with proper care.)At first, he was timid and guarded, not yet ready to trust humans, but with patience and love, he started to change. ChatonsOrphelinsMontrealThe foster family prepared a quiet, cozy nook where Magnus could relax and decompress. Once he settled in, they tried to pet him with a spatula. Even though he kept his head lowered and avoided eye contact, it was clear he didn't have a mean bone in his body."We could see the gentle side he kept hidden within." ChatonsOrphelinsMontreal"We started with positive reinforcement using treats."Gradually, his walls began to crumble, and he let his foster mom pet him with her own hand, revealing his gentle, sweet nature. After years of putting on a tough front to survive the treacherous streets, Magnus could finally be himself. ChatonsOrphelinsMontrealIn a matter of weeks, Magnus mustered his courage to explore the house, even trotting up to his foster mom for some affectionate scritches. Each day brought new progress, as he unveiled more of his endearing personality."He is very curious and observant, and he loves other cats. From the moment he arrived, we could tell he was eager to be their friend." ChatonsOrphelinsMontrealThough he still gets startled by sudden movements or loud noises, he's truly come out of his shell and drinks in every bit of affection he receives. "He loves it when we give his big cheeks and back a good scratch. He even arches his back toward us whenever he's in the mood for extra rubs.""Magnus loves his food. His hearty appetite has helped him build trust with us." He quickly caught on to the mealtime routine and is always the first to show up. ChatonsOrphelinsMontrealHe's enamored with other cats, filling the house with cheerful chirps as he races around with them. "He even tries to rub his head against them in a cuddly way. He wants to be everyone's friend.""Magnus might give a strong first impression with his sturdy build and one missing eye. He resembles a raccoon when he moves around, but spend just a few minutes with him and you'll see he's a total teddy bear at heart." ChatonsOrphelinsMontreal"Magnus is a cat who's still learning to live with humans, and he makes progress every day. He is lucky to have been rescued from the wild. He deserves the best after his tough life outside."These days, he likes to perch by the window, keeping his keen eye on the neighbors and critters outside, all while enjoying the comfort of his foster home. ChatonsOrphelinsMontrealShare this story with your friends. More on Magnus and Chatons Orphelins Montreal on Instagram and Facebook.Related story: Cat Spent Months Living from Yard to Yard, Soon After Moving Indoors She Has Kittens by Her Side

Tuesday's Final Word