Zohran Mamdani’s win over former New York governor Andrew Cuomo represents a victory for the new guard, progressive wing of the Democratic Party, but his record in public service could leave much to be desired by Democrats who were hoping to see someone with substantial experience, like Cuomo, win the Democratic primary for New York City mayor.

«You have to know how to make government work, and if you have no experience whatsoever in making government work, if you have never really had a job, you are a two-time assembly person who has passed three bills — most assembly people pass three bills by mistake,» Cuomo said of Mamdani’s resume while speaking to reporters before he lost Tuesday night’s primary race. «You’ve missed more days at work in two weeks than I missed in 11 years [as governor]. You’ve never dealt with the City Council; you’ve never dealt with the Congress; you’ve never dealt with Donald Trump, but now you’re going to run New York City?»

After graduating from Bowdoin College in Maine with a bachelor’s degree in Africana Studies, where Mamdani helped launch the school’s first Students for Justice in Palestine chapter, his resume, which was shared with the New York Times, shows «a patchwork of jobs» Mamdani worked for before joining the state assembly.

NEW YORK DEMOCRAT SAYS MAYORAL CANDIDATE ZOHRAN MAMDANI ‘TOO EXTREME TO LEAD’

In 2014, Mamdani did a four-month stint as an organizer for the left-wing advocacy group MoveOn in Seattle. He subsequently spent two months organizing with another group out of Houston called TexPIRG, while working an ongoing tutoring gig as well.

In 2015, Mamdani began his post-grad foray into political campaign work, but it is unclear if these were paid jobs or simply volunteer opportunities. He first knocked on doors for City Council candidate Ali Najmi and also did campaign field work for Khader El-Yateem’s City Council campaign. Mamdani reportedly spent some time as a field organizer for Tiffany Caban’s District Attorney campaign around 2019 as well.

While committing time to these campaigns, Mamdani also reportedly worked as a music supervisor and «third assistant director» on a Disney film about an Indian chess prodigy that was directed by his mother, Mira Nair, an Oscar-nominated filmmaker. He was also given an on-screen cameo role in the film.

«I actually created a playlist for Mira, who also happens to be my mother—you know, nepotism and hard work goes a long way,» Mamdani quipped during a radio interview in 2016, around the time of the movie’s release.

REPUBLICANS USE MAMDANI BOMBSHELL VICTORY OVER CUOMO AS AMMUNITION TO BLAST DEMOCRATS AS EXTREMISTS

Zohran Mamdani with his mother, director Mira Nair, on the red carpet for her 2016 film «Queen of Katwe.» (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Disney)

At that time, Mamdani was also reportedly pursuing a rap career, going by the moniker «Mr. Cardamom» and «Young Cardamom.» One of his songs was eventually featured on his mom’s movie.

Mamdani continued his rap aspirations until at least 2017, but according to the mayoral candidate’s recent tax returns that were reviewed by the New York Post, he still rakes in a minor amount of royalties on his music. As a member of the New York state Assembly, Mamdani earned a salary of around $131,000, while his royalties amounted to around $1,200 last year, the Post found. 

Mamdani’s campaign work got more serious when he became campaign manager for Ross Barkan’s losing State Senate bid in 2018. Mamdani also spent time that year working at a foreclosure prevention community group called Chhaya, where he worked as a counselor for South Asian and Caribbean families facing potential foreclosure of their homes. Mamdani reportedly left after about a year to run for the New York State Assembly seat in Astoria, New York.  

Mamdani’s experience in the state assembly has not escaped criticism either.

FLASHBACK: NYC MAYORAL CANDIDATE ZOHRAN MAMDANI VOWED TO ARREST NETANYAHU IF HE VISITED THE CITY

Mamdani sits in a green room in this June 12, 2025, photo. (Vincent ALBAN / POOL / AFP)

He reportedly missed 50% of the assembly’s votes in 2025 while focusing on his mayoral campaign, according to the New York Post. Meanwhile, during his entire three years in the New York State Assembly, Mamdani reportedly only ushered in three bills that eventually got passed into law, according to the New York Times. 

While Mamdani’s public service experience may be lacking, according to critics, he has been praised for his ability to market himself digitally across social media and other online platforms, with the New York Times dubbing him «a TikTok savant» during a profile piece they did on him in March.   

During a debate earlier this month among all the Democratic Party candidates running to be New York City’s next mayor, the candidates were asked if they had any regrets during their time working in politics. 

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«I regret not running for mayor in 2021,» State Sen. Jessica Ramos responded. «I thought I needed more experience. But turns out you just need to make good videos.»

If Mamdani wins the general election, he would be the city’s youngest leader since 1917 at 34-years-of-age. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the Mamdani campaign repeatedly for comment on this story but never received a response.

El presidente del gobierno español, Pedro Sánchez, respondió a las amenazas de Donald Trump. Foto: EFE

«España siempre es la solución»

Anthony Bernal, the former advisor to former first lady Jill Biden, is refusing to appear before the House Oversight Committee to be questioned about the alleged cover-up of former President Joe Biden’s mental decline.

Chair James Comer, R-Ky., said in a press release Tuesday that Bernal was refusing to appear on June 26 for a transcribed interview, as part of the committee’s investigation into the Biden cover-up, and also the potentially unauthorized use of autopen for executive actions and pardons.

«Now that the White House has waived executive privilege, it’s abundantly clear that Anthony Bernal – Jill Biden’s so-called ‘work husband’ – never intended to be transparent about Joe Biden’s cognitive decline and the ensuing cover-up,» Comer said. «With no privilege left to hide behind, Mr. Bernal is now running scared, desperate to bury the truth. The American people deserve answers and accountability, and the Oversight Committee will not tolerate this obstruction.»

The chairman added that if Bernal does not wish to come on his own, he will issue a subpoena to compel Bernal to provide testimony before the committee.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS INCH CLOSER TO ANSWERS AS FORMER BIDEN ADVISORS LOSE EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE SHIELD

Letters obtained by Fox News Digital from a source familiar with the matter show the Trump administration will not allow the people of interest in Comer’s probe to use their past White House work as a legal shield.

Deputy Counsel to the President Gary Lawkowski sent the letters to former Biden Chief of Staff Ron Klain, former senior advisors Anita Dunn, Steve Ricchetti, Mike Donilon, Annie Tomasini, Bruce Reed, Ashley Williams and Bernal.

«In light of the unique and extraordinary nature of the matters under investigation, President Trump has determined that an assertion of executive privilege is not in the national interest, and therefore is not justified, with respect to particular subjects within the purview of the House Oversight Committee,» the letters said. «Those subjects include your assessment of former President Biden’s fitness for the office of the President and your knowledge of who exercised executive powers during his administration.»

TOP BIDEN OFFICIALS SUMMONED TO TESTIFY ABOUT ALLEGED COVER-UP OF FORMER PRESIDENT’S MENTAL FITNESS

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said he will subpoena former First Lady Jill Biden’s former Senior Aide, Anthony Bernal, to provide testimony about former President Joe Biden’s alleged mental health decline cover up, on June 26, 2025. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Congressional Republicans and the White House are investigating whether the senior Biden aides in question played any role in keeping concerns about the former president’s mental acuity shielded from the public eye and even from lower-level White House staffers.

«Just yesterday, we heard from our first witness, Neera Tanden, the former Staff Secretary who controlled the Biden autopen,» Comer said Wednesday. «Ms. Tanden testified that she had minimal interaction with President Biden, despite wielding tremendous authority. She explained that to obtain approval for autopen signatures, she would send decision memos to members of the President’s inner circle and had no visibility of what occurred between sending the memo and receiving it back with approval.

«Her testimony raises serious questions about who was really calling the shots in the Biden White House amid the President’s obvious decline,» Comer continued. «We will continue to pursue the truth for the American people.»

HOUSE GOP SECURES FOUR KEY WITNESSES IN BIDEN MENTAL-DECLINE PROBE AS FORMER AIDES AGREE TO TALK

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., is demanding three high-ranking staffers in former President Joe Biden’s White House appear for transcribed interviews on their suspected roles working «behind the scenes» to «cover-up» the former president’s significant mental decline during his term. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Bernal’s team previously confirmed he would appear for a transcribed interview on June 26, 2025, according to Comer’s office. But yesterday, the White House counsel’s office notified Bernal that it was waiving executive privilege regarding the Oversight Committee’s investigation.

Bernal’s legal team then told the committee he would no longer appear for the interview.

Comer’s team said in the press release that during the last Congress, the chairman subpoenaed three key White House aides, including Bernal, who allegedly ran interference for Biden to cover up his decline.

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Despite the subpoenas, the White House under Biden allegedly obstructed the committee’s investigation by refusing to make the aides available for interviews or depositions.

Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.