Pakistan, June 26 -- New York City Democrats chose 33-year-old Muslim socialist Zohran Mamdani as their mayoral candidate in Tuesday's elections, stunning his opponent, former New York governor Andrew Cuomo.

In what appears to be the left-leaning city's rebuke of the Democratic Party's veteran moderates - and New York's rarely claimed native son, Republican US President Donald Trump - Mamdani led with 43 percent of the vote with 95 percent of ballots counted, city officials reported.

"Tonight we made history," Mamdani said in his victory speech surrounded by supporters after surging from behind.

"We have won because New Yorkers have stood up for a city they can afford," he added. "A city where they can do more than just struggle."

The...