Mamdani Wins NYC Mayoral Race
Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist and State Assembly member from Queens, has officially won the New York City mayoral race, defeating Andrew Cuomo, the former Governor who recently re-entered politics with a platform that included pro-crypto innovation initiatives. According to the Associated Press, Mamdani led with 50.6% of the vote, compared to Cuomo’s 41.2%, with Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa trailing behind.
Cuomo Campaigned on Crypto Innovation
Just one month before the vote, Andrew Cuomo proposed establishing a Chief Innovation Officer role in City Hall to champion blockchain, digital assets, and public-private tech collaboration. The position would have been a senior leadership seat, aimed at drawing startups, financial institutions, and Web3 firms back into New York after years of regulatory tension.
But that message did not carry enough weight with NYC’s progressive voting base.
Crypto Was Not a Priority for Mamdani’s Coalition
According to Rebecca Liao, co-founder and CEO of Saga, Cuomo represented the traditional pro-tech establishment wing of the Democratic Party. Liao, who previously worked on Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign, noted that the crypto message did not resonate with Mamdani’s base.
Mamdani’s campaign focused primarily on housing policy, policing, public transit funding, and social safety reforms - topics far more immediate to his supporters than digital finance or blockchain regulation.
NYC’s Crypto Momentum Pauses
Cuomo’s defeat follows the earlier withdrawal of outgoing Mayor Eric Adams, who was known for his strong pro-crypto stance. Adams famously took his first three paychecks in Bitcoin and in October 2024 created the first municipal Office of Blockchain and Digital Assets in the U.S.
With Adams out and Cuomo defeated, New York’s active push for crypto-friendly city policy may now slow, at least in the near term. While Mamdani has not opposed crypto, he has not prioritized it either - signaling a likely shift from innovation messaging to socioeconomic reform.
Crypto Voters Remain a Powerful Political Bloc
Meanwhile in New Jersey, crypto advocacy group Stand With Crypto claimed its 80,000+ registered supporters played a role in Democrat Mikie Sherrill’s victory over Republican Jack Ciattarelli. The group highlighted that Sherrill earned an A-rating for her pro-crypto voting record and public support for blockchain legislation.
The regional politics of crypto are now clearly in motion - with New York cooling, while neighboring states accelerate.
