The once-fringe Democratic candidate is now the party’s mayoral nominee for New York City. His success speaks to an American political landscape in complete disarray.
Amidst news of missile strikes in the Middle East, the rapid erosion of trans rights, and mounting economic strain over tariffs, climate change, and global conflict, it can be hard to see the light in US politics of late.
But this week marked a cause for celebration in the left-leaning democratic camp. Zohran Mamdani, a capital L liberal, beat Andrew Cuomo in the New York mayoral primary election.
Mamdani is only 33, and would be the first Muslim mayor of America’s biggest city. He represents a turning point for a party that was widely considered to be ‘on its knees’ in the wake of President Trump’s second term.
But as far-right populism continues to rise across the US, how did a self-described democratic socialist beat a 67-year-old from a political dynasty?
Backed by congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mamdani became a state politician following an aspiring rap career – and quickly positioned himself as the antithesis to Donald Trump in almost every sense.
His off-the-cuff style is a step-change from the usual rehearsed feel of political comms, and it’s this natural, disruptive mode of politics that many believe has fuelled Mamdani’s support.
Following a devastating loss for Kamala Harris last year, many grassroots Democrats are demanding a ‘most ideological, confrontational approach to policy and politics,’ said pollster Frank Lutz.
Many of Mamdani’s plans for a Mayoral role have been disregarded as ‘unrealistic’ by the right and left alike. These include city-run grocery shops, free public buses, and an injection of government funding for trans healthcare. But it seems enough people believe in his vision for a liberal New York.
This young, modern political figure represents all that Donald Trump seeks to dismantle about America. He’s Muslim, brown, and married to a Syrian –Rama Duwaji. In short, Mamdani is a product of North America’s diverse immigrant population, a demographic Trump has been fighting to subdue since he came to power in 2016.
So it’s no surprise that Mamdani’s success marks a welcome point of change for many Americans – particularly those who’s socialist ideologies have been demonised by the country’s leaders for the past several decades.
Amongst them is Bernie Sander’s, a prominent socialist who has run for Presidential candidacy in previous years.