New York, Nov 5: In a historic night for South Asian Americans and Muslim leaders in the United States, Zohran Mamdani, Ghazala Hashmi, and Aftab Pureval secured major victories in the 2025 elections, breaking barriers and redefining political representation.
Zohran Mamdani, 34, a Democratic Socialist lawmaker, emerged victorious in the closely watched New York City mayoral race, becoming the city’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor. Mamdani defeated former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa, capturing 948,202 votes, or 50.6 percent, with 83 percent of ballots counted. Cuomo trailed with 776,547 votes (41.3 percent), while Sliwa received 137,030 votes, according to the New York City Board of Elections.
Mamdani, born in Uganda to filmmaker Mira Nair and scholar Mahmood Mamdani, campaigned on lowering the cost of living and uplifting working-class New Yorkers, messages that resonated with young voters and those economically burdened. Observers noted that his win represents a significant ideological shift in a city long associated with financial and corporate power.
“New York City has chosen a new direction. We will work to ensure the voices of working families are heard and their lives improved,” Mamdani said in a statement after his victory.
In Cincinnati, Democrat Aftab Pureval secured a second term as mayor, defeating Republican Cory Bowman, the half-brother of Senator J.D. Vance. First elected in 2021, Pureval has been credited with expanding economic opportunities and improving city services. While Cincinnati’s mayoral office is officially nonpartisan, Pureval ran with strong Democratic support and dominated the all-party primary with over 80 percent of the vote.
“Aftab’s re-election reflects the trust Cincinnati residents have placed in his leadership,” said a city official familiar with the campaign. Pureval, a lawyer by training, has focused on inclusive growth and public service improvement throughout his tenure.
Virginia also witnessed a historic milestone as Ghazala Hashmi, 61, was elected the state’s first Muslim and South Asian Lieutenant Governor. A long-time Democratic state senator, Hashmi received 1,465,634 votes (54.2 percent), defeating Republican John Reid, who garnered 1,232,242 votes. Hashmi’s platform centered on education, reproductive freedom, healthcare access, and environmental protection, earning support from the Indian American Impact Fund, which invested $175,000 in mobilizing voters.
“An immigrant, educator, and tireless advocate, Hashmi has dedicated her life to expanding opportunity and delivering results for working families across Virginia,” said Chintan Patel, executive director of the Impact Fund, calling her victory a “landmark moment for the community, Commonwealth, and democracy.”
The wins of Mamdani, Pureval, and Hashmi underscore a growing trend of South Asian Americans achieving unprecedented representation in US politics, highlighting the evolving diversity of leadership in cities and states across the country.
