While pundits have enthusiastically latched onto Zohran Mamdani’s rise from unknown assemblyman to mayor of New York City as an example Democrats should follow to win elections, this analysis wholly misinterprets the reasons behind his victory. Voters chose Mamdani for all the ways that he differs from the Democratic Party political line. The election of Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, is a repudiation of the existing Democratic Party. Despite the fact that he ran as a Democrat, Mamdani is a new direction entirely in American politics. The Democratic Party is at a dead end, and Mamdani’s socialist beliefs suggest a new path forward. He is neither the ideal politician nor the ideal socialist, but Mamdani’s win has returned sorely needed energy to the American left. What remains to be seen is if the promise of this moment manifests in real change.
Thanks to Mamdani’s win, the recent New York City mayoral election has drawn a level of attention second only to the presidential election. Democrats and Republicans alike have thrown around terms like “Communist,” “Marxist” and “Jihadi” to describe the new mayor. The right wing New York Post ran a cover depicting Mamdani holding aloft a hammer and sickle, with the headline: “On Your Marx, Get Set, Zo.” Yet despite these attacks, Mamdani had the highest voter turnout for a New York mayor since 1969.
In relatively left-wing New York City, it isn’t surprising that Mamdani won, given his opponents. The other candidates on the ballot were former New York governor Andrew Cuomo and the entertaining but irrelevant Curtis Sliwa. Mamdani’s only real opposition came from hardline establishment Democrats and centrists, who backed Cuomo through a campaign marred by pre–existing sexual harassment allegations and racist AI generated ads. Democrat politicians like Senator Chuck Schumer have attempted to push back on Mamdani by not endorsing him, but their party’s influence on progressives has steeply declined. The Democratic Party has proved all but useless in recent years, and voters have caught on. They failed to stand up against the genocide in Palestine, failed to codify Roe v. Wade while Joe Biden was in office and failed to protect trans people. They simply assume that people will stick with them because they are the “progressive” party, no matter what their actual policies are.
But the rise of right–wing populist figures like Donald Trump has demonstrated the weakness of neoliberal capitalism, and progressives are becoming increasingly disillusioned with the party. This political environment has created a void, which young, populist progressives like Mamdani have filled very successfully. Leftists have been told time and time again that they have to settle for the lesser of two evils, the 2024 presidential race being case in point. But in Mamdani, left–wing voters were given an actually appealing candidate.
Mamdani ran on a platform that acknowledged the rising cost of living in America, a problem both major parties have failed to truly address. Affordability is an issue that unites Mamdani’s diverse constituency. Free buses, free childcare and rent freezes are appealing to voters regardless of identity, ethnicity and even in some cases political persuasion. Mamdani’s economic proposals have been both incredibly popular and controversial.
Mainstream American politics has never really left the Cold War behind. Republicans and centrist Democrats love to trot out Communist accusations at any remotely left wing policy or politician. There has been some change thanks to figures like Bernie Sanders and Alexandra Ocasio–Cortez who espouse some socialist values while towing the Democratic party line in other aspects, “Socialism” has become more acceptable, but in America, a Democratic Socialist is the farthest left a politician can acceptably be.
Likewise, Islamophobia has been rampant in American politics since 9/11. As a Muslim with a vocal pro-Palestine stance, Mamdani has been the target of endless accusations of supporting Hamas, and hate speech watch groups have reported a surge in Islamophobia around the mayoral election. Mamdani has been forced to soften his statements on Palestine, due to groups such as the Anti–Defamation League labeling him a terrorist and an antisemite. Yet while Mamdani has overcome the bigoted and McCarthyite attacks in his campaign, he will continue to face similar resistance during his tenure as mayor.
Mamdani has already been under pressure from the Democratic Party to tone down his rhetoric throughout his campaign and victory, as is always the case with left–wing candidates. Sadly, he has capitulated in many ways. He has courted the support of New York’s ultra–rich, such as the CEO of JP Morgan, and been endorsed by Barack Obama, the epitome of American neoliberalism. He has walked back his statements on taxing millionaires. It is very possible that, like many leftist politicians, Mamdani will backtrack further once in office. He will certainly come under enormous pressure from both the right and center. Trump has already threatened to cut federal funding to New York City now that Mamdani is mayor. In order to live up to what he promises, Mamdani will need to keep the support of the people behind him. To do that he must be a strong, decisive leader who keeps his word.
Photo by Bingjiefu He under CC BY-SA 4.0
