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How does a 33-year-old Democratic Socialist—best known for being an assemblyman from Queens—become the top choice for mayor of New York City, one of the most powerful local government positions in the world? Simple. He ran against everything voters have grown tired of: backroom deals, name-brand politics, and nostalgia masquerading as leadership.
In defeating former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary, Zohran Mamdani didn’t just win a campaign. He upended a power structure that assumed voters could be strong-armed by legacy names, billionaire donors, and aging political influencers whose grip on everyday Americans is slipping fast.
Cuomo didn’t lose because Mamdani was a fluke or because the city suddenly went full socialist. He lost because he was the worst kind of candidate to put forward in this moment: a disgraced former governor who never apologized for the sexual harassment allegations that drove him from office, backed by a political machine that still doesn’t understand how much has changed since 2020.
CUOMO CONCEDES IN NYC DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY FOR MAYOR, CONGRATULATES AOC-ENDORSED MAMDANI
Let’s be clear: Cuomo’s name is literally on a bridge. He governed New York for over a decade. During the pandemic, he was a media darling—a hero to many Democrats in power. But when the dust settled, voters didn’t forget. And they didn’t forgive. Cuomo thought he could sneak back into public life without ever acknowledging the women who came forward, the power he abused, or the trust he broke.
And who enabled his return attempt? Everyone from Bill Clinton to Mike Bloomberg to Chuck Schumer and Jim Clyburn lined up behind him. It’s the kind of nostalgic unity ticket that used to work—back when voters didn’t have smartphones, podcasts, and TikToks showing them what their lives actually look like versus what they’re being sold.
Even his donors were out of touch. Cuomo accepted money from billionaire Bill Ackman, a man who has publicly supported Donald Trump. Think about that. A major Democratic mayoral candidate bankrolled in part by someone helping prop up the GOP’s leading man. That’s not strategy—it’s desperation.
CUOMO STAYING IN NYC MAYOR’S RACE FOR NOW, FOLLOWING STUNNING SETBACK TO MAMDANI IN PRIMARY: SOURCES
Mamdani, on the other hand, ran one of the most people-powered campaigns New York has ever seen. While critics can (and will) question his policies—free buses, universal childcare, rent stabilization—what they can’t deny is that his campaign had soul. He walked the length of Manhattan. He met people where they were, in every borough, in every language. He didn’t just rely on endorsements or flashy donors. He relied on connection.
And yes, he talked to real influencers—the kind who actually live in the Bronx, Harlem, Queens—not just those tucked away in the West Village. He ran with volunteers, not operatives. He generated enthusiasm, not talking points. And he built a coalition that knew the only blessing they needed came from the people, not party leaders.
RAPPING, ACTING CAMEO AMONG FRINGE ACTIVITIES LINING MAMDANI’S THIN WORK RESUME
This doesn’t mean Mamdani is the new face of the Democratic Party. Let’s not overcorrect. His platform won’t work in every city—and shouldn’t. I’m a Southern Democrat. What speaks to voters in Georgia, or North Carolina, or Texas is different. That’s the beauty of our party. We don’t have one moniker, one color palette, one MAGA hat that defines us. We allow our leaders to reflect their communities, not defy them.
But what Mamdani does signal is that the model of handpicking candidates and expecting voters to fall in line—out of loyalty or fear of Trump—is no longer sustainable. The younger generation isn’t apathetic. They’re activated. They just don’t vote for politicians who remind them of their worst assumptions about politics.
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It’s not just that Mamdani got votes. It’s that he brought new people into the process. His campaign attracted over 46,000 volunteers, many of them young, first-time political participants. These aren’t disengaged citizens—they’re just tired of being asked to choose between the status quo and something worse.
Zohran Mamdani, New York City mayoral candidate, arrives for a news conference at Astoria Park during the New York City mayoral Democratic primary in the Queens borough of New York, US, on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (Christian Monterrosa/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Anyone who says young voters can’t be mobilized needs to rethink what that actually means. Because young people don’t vote? Not true. They just don’t vote for men who never said sorry. Mamdani spoke with conviction, offered something different, and reminded a generation that they have power, even when the party forgets it.
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If Democrats want to win—not just in New York, but across the country—we have to stop assuming the past will save us. The nostalgia politics that once made Cuomo a national star now feels hollow. We need candidates who aren’t afraid to build something new, not just dust off something old.
Zohran Mamdani showed us what that could look like. The question is: will the party listen?
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