Zohran Kwame Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, is poised to win the November 2025 election, leading in recent polls against opponents Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa.
His campaign has gained momentum following a strong performance in the first mayoral debate, where he emphasized progressive policies on housing and criminal justice reform. Mamdani’s meteoric rise in politics began when he won a seat in the New York State Assembly in 2020, representing Queens’ District 36 as a democratic socialist.
Born in Kampala, Uganda, in 1991 to filmmaker parents Mira Nair and Mahmood Mamdani, he immigrated to New York City at age seven and grew up in Manhattan. Before entering politics, Mamdani worked as a foreclosure prevention counselor and even pursued a side career as a rapper under the stage name Mr. Cardamom. His background as a Ugandan-born Muslim-American has shaped his advocacy for perceived immigrant rights and social justice issues.
Since Mamdani was born outside the United States, he is ineligible to run for president under the Constitution’s natural-born citizen clause. Despite this, his staunchest supporters are enthusiastically pushing for him to aim higher in the future, including calls for a presidential run or serving as vice president on a national ticket. With shifting demographics and increasing visibility of Muslim politicians, some speculate that the U.S. could see a prominent Muslim president leading the country before 2050. Figures like Mamdani and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar spotlight the growing influence of Muslim leaders in American politics, reflecting broader changes in the nation’s electorate.
We want to ask you, the reader: will we see a Muslim U.S. president before 2050? Answer in our poll below and comment your thoughts on the likelihood of a U.S. Muslim president.
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