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Some celebrities have publicly lamented New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s victory over former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the race to lead the nation’s largest city. Newsweek reached out to Mamdani’s campaign for comment via email. Why It Matters Mamdani, a state legislator who identifies as a Democratic socialist, defeated independent Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. He is on track to win with just over 50 percent of the vote, reported the Associated Press. His win is a major victory for the political left, as he is poised to become one of the most prominent elected socialists in the country. However, his candidacy was met with criticism from both Democrats and Republicans. Critics raised questions about the feasibility of some of his proposals, including free bus services and city-run grocery stores, as well as about his previous comments on Israel. What to Know Rapper 50 Cent was among those celebrities who responded to Mamdani’s victory on social media. He shared a photograph on Instagram that showed a tombstone with the text “RIP NYC / Founded 1624 / Died 2025.” That post was shared by The Real Housewives of New Jersey star Jackie Goldschneider, who had opposed his candidacy. On Monday, she wrote that she believed Cuomo was “not perfect” but had “the experience and skills to run this great city.” Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani speaks to his supporters in Brooklyn, New York on November 4, 2025. “Zohran Mamdani supports calls to globalize the intifada, which puts Jews at risk,” she wrote. “He has no experience and wants to defund the police, putting your safety at risk whether you’re Jewish or not.” Michael Rapaport appeared to respond to Mamdani’s election with a post on X, sharing a gif with the text “nooooo!!!!” Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, wrote on X that “if this is what the people of NC want than so be it.” “Thank god I don’t live there anymore,” he added. Businessman Bill Ackman, who had been critical of Mamdani, reacted on X, writing “@ZohranKMamdani, congrats on the win. Now you have a big responsibility. If I can help NYC, just let me know what I can do.” Former Representative George Santos said in a video posted to X he was “upset” after election night.” Other celebrities have endorsed Cuomo including comedian Amy Schumer and singer Marc Anthony, according to The New York Times. However, they have not made public comments on Mamdani’s victory. Actress Debra Messing faced criticism for posting a meme about Mamdani ahead of his victory. The meme depicted a stylized ballot listing two candidates: “A Democrat. Just a Democrat” and “An actual communist jihadist. A literal Karl Marx-quoting, America-hating jihadist.” Other celebrities, however, were opening celebrating his victory. Actress Lupita Nyong’o responded to the election results in a story posted to Instagram. She shared a video posted by Mamdani showing the subway stopping at city hall with the audio “the next and last stop is City Hall,” adding the caption “YUP!!!!!!” Comedian Bowen Yang shared a post from New York Magazine that showed the mayor-elect with the text “Mayor Mamdani.” Meanwhile, actress Cynthia Nixon, who ran for New York governor in 2018 and has remained active in progressive politics, shared a video of his victory speech to Instagram. The Real Housewives of New York City star Jessel Taank shared a photograph of Mamdani to her Instagram story following his victory. What People Are Saying Mamdani said during his victory speech: “New York, tonight you have delivered. A mandate for change. A mandate for a new kind of politics. A mandate for a city we can afford. And a mandate for a government that delivers exactly that.” Cuomo said after his defeat: “This campaign was the right fight to wage, and I am proud of what we did and what we did together. This campaign was to contest the philosophies that are shaping the Democratic Party, the future of this city and the future of this country. This coalition transcended normal partisan politics.” What Happens Next Mamdani will officially take office and become mayor in January 2026.
