Zohran Mamdani has won the race for New York City mayor, according to Decision Desk HQ, ushering in a new era of progressive politics in the city and reigniting the debate over the Democratic Party’s future.
Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist, is poised to become the first millennial and first Muslim to lead New York City, after a campaign that pulled off one of the most stunning political upsets in recent memory. He defeated former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who mounted a long-shot independent bid after losing to Mamdani in the Democratic primary, and Republican Curtis Sliwa in his bid to succeed Mayor Eric Adams.
Mamdani focused heavily on affordability, pledging to freeze rent, establish city-owned grocery stores and make buses free for riders. He quickly became a progressive icon as well as a polarizing figure within the party over his positions, so much so that it divided prominent New York Democratic leadership over whether to endorse him.
They are absolutely going to fight tooth and nail to prevent him from doing things.
But this is the biggest city in the country. It makes so much room for people to embrace a more progressive brand of politics our nation hasn’t seen for decades and decades.
And the inevitable push back on Zohran will further drive home the growing contradictions in our society such that more people wake up.
Zohran will surely deliver some good results for the people of New York and the rest we will weaponize to further drive home the need for mass systemic change from the top to bottom.