skip to contentAdvertisementHanda was appointed to the role in July this year, succeeding Elle Bisgaard-Church, and is credited with helping Mamdani steer his historic campaign to victory against former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.By: Express Web Desk New Delhi,November 5, 2025 10:54 PM IST First published on: Nov 5, 2025 at 10:42 PM IST ShareWhatsapptwitterFacebookHanda has also been associated with prominent national and local figures including former New York Representative Jamaal Bowman and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. (LinkedIn, AP)Maya Handa, a rising name in progressive political circles, served as the campaign manager for New York’s newly elected mayor, Zohran Mamdani. She was appointed to the role in July this year, succeeding Elle Bisgaard-Church, and is credited with helping Mamdani steer his historic campaign to victory against former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.Before joining Mamdani’s team, Handa managed State Senator Zellnor Myrie’s unsuccessful mayoral bid and had previously worked with Mamdani during his time in the New York State Assembly as per a report by NYT. Known for her experience in progressive politics, Handa has also been associated with prominent national and local figures including former New York Representative Jamaal Bowman and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren.According to CNN, Handa has collaborated with the Working Families Party, a key progressive force in New York City politics. Mamdani’s campaign statement also highlighted her previous work with Queens Assemblymember Claire Valdez and Brooklyn Councilmember Shahana Hanif, though those roles were not listed on her LinkedIn profile.The historic winVoter turnout in New York City’s mayoral election on Tuesday reached heights not seen in decades, driven by the candidacy of Democrat Zohran Mamdani, who made history as the city’s first South Asian and Muslim mayor.According to The New York Times, more than two million New Yorkers cast their ballots — nearly double the 1.1 million who voted in the previous mayoral election four years ago. In parts of Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan, participation neared presidential election levels.Mamdani, 34, became the first candidate since John V. Lindsay in 1969 to secure over one million votes in a mayoral race across the five boroughs. While the total turnout that year — 2,458,203 — still slightly surpassed this week’s figure, analysts described the 2025 surge as “electric,” marking a renewed enthusiasm in local politics.The Times noted that Mamdani’s campaign managed to reverse his earlier primary weaknesses in working-class Black and Latino neighbourhoods, delivering decisive margins in areas that once leaned towards former governor Andrew Cuomo. With about 90% of votes counted, Mamdani was leading the Bronx by 11 points — a dramatic turnaround from the primary, when he trailed Cuomo by 18.Most ReadIn Kingsbridge, the Bronx, where Cuomo had edged out Mamdani by two points in the primary, the Democrat now led by 14. In Brooklyn’s Brownsville — one of the city’s most economically challenged areas — Mamdani won by 18 points after previously losing by 40.After the primary, the Times reported, Mamdani’s campaign found new inroads with community and faith groups. Local congregations that had previously been distant began inviting him to speak, and he regularly addressed churches and mosques across the city.His message — focused on rent freezes, free childcare and affordable living — resonated with both working-class families in Brownsville and younger professionals in Manhattan, turning the general election into a citywide movement for economic equity.AdvertisementAdvertisementLoading Taboola...