2025 in Review: How Zohran Mamdani shocked New York
The Take
Al Jazeera
4.7 • 748 Ratings
🗓️ 26 December 2025
⏱️ 25 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
As the year wraps up, we're looking back at 10 of the episodes that defined 2025 at The Take. This originally aired on June 27. None of the dates, titles, or other references have been changed.
Thirty-three years old, socialist, Muslim and now, the likely Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani was barely known a few months ago. Today, he may be the most popular political voice of a generation. How did he get here, and could he be here to stay?
In this episode:
- Max Rivlin-Nadler (@MaxRivlinNadler), co-owner and reporter, Hell Gate NYC
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Ashish Malhotra, Sonia Bhagat and Amy Walters, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Melanie Marich, Remas Al Hawari, Kisaa Zehra, Mariana Navarette, and our host, Manuel Rapalo. It was edited by Kylene Kiang and Noor Wazwaz.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editor is Hisham Abu Salah. Alexandra Locke is the Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Al Jazeera Podcasts. |
| 0:07.0 | Hi, Kevin here. |
| 0:14.1 | As 2025 comes to a close, we're spending these two weeks looking back at the stories that defined the year. |
| 0:21.6 | Today's episode, how Zoran Mamdani shocked New York. |
| 0:25.8 | This episode first aired on June 27, 2025. |
| 0:30.1 | All dates and references are from that time. |
| 0:32.5 | Music Today, he's the man who's taken New York by storm. |
| 0:46.7 | I will be your Democratic nominee for the mayor of New York City. |
| 0:52.8 | A 33-year-old Democratic Socialist is now the frontrunner to be New York City. A 33-year-old |
| 0:54.3 | Democratic Socialist is now the frontrunner |
| 0:56.8 | to be New York City's next mayor, |
| 0:59.3 | and he may have just toppled |
| 1:00.4 | a political dynasty along the way. |
| 1:02.8 | So, how did he do it? |
| 1:06.6 | I'm Manuel Rappalo, |
| 1:08.1 | and this is The Take. |
| 1:23.9 | A long-shot candidate who was polling at 1% as recently as February, |
| 1:28.9 | Zeran Mamdani wasn't expected to make an impact in New York City's mayoral race. |
| 1:34.5 | But with a campaign focused on making the city more affordable, mixed with charisma, and a strong social media strategy, Mamdani galvanized an army of nearly 50,000 volunteers into a movement. |
| 1:41.1 | Tonight, we made history. |
| 1:45.0 | In the words of Nelson Mandela, it always seems impossible until it is done. |
| 1:57.0 | Mamdani's victory in Tuesday's Democratic mayoral primary now means that he's the frontrunner |
... |
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