NYU Students React With Praise and Concern to Mamdani’s Victory

On November 4, many students across New York City celebrated newly elected mayor, Zohran Mamdani. Mayor-elect Mamdani, an immigrant himself from Uganda, moved to New York at the age of seven. Prior to Mamdani’s victory, he served in the New York State Assembly representing District 36, now becoming the city’s youngest mayor in over a century. 

Despite Mamdani's youth, NYU students continue to support his push for Democratic socialism which includes incorporating free child care, buses, and grocery stores through collective funding sources. 

Maia Opazo, a 20-year old student from NYU’s College of Arts and Sciences, strongly believes that the city made the right decision by electing Mamdani in the recent election. Opazo explains that she is “excited for this new chapter for New York City, a fresher lens more closely reflecting the wishes of New Yorkers to make the city more affordable and livable.” 

Opazo previously voted in other elections including the 2024 Presidential election and the 2024 Democratic primary election, but had never felt as connected to a candidate as Mamdani. 

Many students share in Opazo’s excitement, viewing Mamdani’s proposals with optimism. These particularly resonated with voters who are critical of President Trump, as Mamdani has frequently expressed opposition to Trump’s political agenda.

Other students told the NYU Review that their support for Mamdani follows his political commitments to being a Democrat. Some have added that Mamdani’s background as an immigrant from Uganda, ensures that he will be vocal about the city’s challenges: immigration, student debt, and lack of access to stable jobs. For many students, Mamdani was the ideal mayoral candidate for New York City, holding out hope for the city’s future. 

“I have not [yet] had a level of fondness [for] a candidate…as I have for Zohran and am looking forward to having a mayor that stands apart from the haze of establishment that Democrats have been forced to choose between for so long,” Opazo shared. 

However, while many students were very fond of Mamdani, other, equally passionate students have expressed concern about his seemingly radical policies.

“My entire family immigrated from the Soviet Union, and knowing the history of Russia's government makes me strongly disagree with Mamdani’s policies” states Rachel Finklestein, a 21-year old NYU student in Steinhardt.

“I think that having city owned grocery stores is not going to work especially because all products require seasonal availability, and manual labor to produce, and I just don't see it happening here,” Finklestein told the NYU Review. 

Nonetheless, as Mayor-elect Mamdani prepares to take office, students are watching closely to see how his ideas will affect New York City. Many students are inspired by this agenda, while others are worried that his plans are not as feasible as implied. The answers to these questions remain to be seen, as students await the merits of his agenda after he officially takes office in January 2026.