University of Kwazulu-Natal

Lessons From Mamdani S Victory By Jared Abbott

Bonisiwe Shabane
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lessons from mamdani s victory by jared abbott

Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor was a massive, earth-shaking upset. When he announced his campaign last October, insiders scoffed: “Could this pro-Palestinian socialist really be NYC’s next mayor?” ran the headline at City & State. For Politico’s New York Playbook, he was little more than “a longshot,” whose presence in the race might damage established progressives like Brad Lander or Jessica Ramos. Less than a month ago, betting markets gave him a 6 percent chance of defeating the heavy favorite Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani won anyway — not by eking it out in the seventh round of ranked-choice voting but topping Cuomo among first-choice ballots and claiming outright victory on election night. His triumph sends a clear message: a bold populist campaign and a laser-like focus on economic issues can break through to voters, even when insiders, billionaires, and the party establishment line up in opposition.

Mamdani’s stunning victory offers some vivid lessons for left-wing politics, both in New York City and beyond. For progressives, the race was a strong vindication of the economic-populist strategy we have long advocated in our work at the Center for Working-Class Politics (CWCP). As CWCP research associates Matt Karp and Dustin Guastella wrote in a 2021 Guardian article, to win, Democrats must “embrace bread and butter economic issues.” And unlike many other progressive candidates over the last... His campaign was highly disciplined, with a tight focus on housing, transportation, wages, and the everyday cost of living. That message reached not just core progressive constituencies, but many working-class New Yorkers, who have traditionally shied away from progressive challengers or sat out Democratic primaries altogether. Crucially, Mamdani took a pragmatic approach on issues that have tripped up many other left challengers.

He distanced himself from “defund the police” rhetoric without disowning public safety reform, and avoided activist jargon that can turn off more moderate or apolitical voters. The result was a campaign that resonated in places where earlier progressives had faltered. Mamdani outperformed previous left-liberal candidates in many working-class neighborhoods, and his platform’s emphasis on cost-of-living issues likely helped bring low-frequency voters off the sidelines. Indeed, turnout surpassed one million — a higher total than any of the past six mayoral primaries. Mamdani’s economics-focused, ideologically pragmatic approach is especially important because low-frequency Democratic voters tend to be both less ideologically progressive and more economically precarious than consistent voters. Mamdani’s apparent success in mobilizing many of these voters suggests that an economics-first message can help progressives expand the electorate beyond the usual suspects.

Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the New York City Mayoral race has inspired left wing campaigners around the world. Explore these resources to find out more about the campaign and its lessons. Got great analysis to share? Let the Commons librarians know. Mar Garcia Sanz & Viktor Mák, European Center for Digital Action Mamdani’s victory is a message to the world that the progressive movement can reclaim agency, build trust, and win even in the most unlikely places.

Mamdani’s campaign stood out for two intertwined reasons: authenticity and organization. Zohran Mamdani’s rise in New York politics is more than a political success story — it’s a timeless lesson in purpose, connection, and resilience. His campaign wasn’t just about winning votes — it was about building trust, leading with empathy, and staying grounded in values. And that, surprisingly, is the same foundation for personal and professional success — whether you’re growing your career, leading a team, or building a business. Here’s how the lessons from Mamdani’s journey can transform the way we define and pursue success 👇 Mamdani began with a mission — to solve real community problems like affordable housing and corruption.

His clarity of purpose gave his campaign direction and credibility. Grassroots Send a Clear Message: It’s Time for Change A new post-election survey of more than 3,500 progressive voters — the nation’s largest progressive political organizing group with over 8 million members — reveals a growing demand for bold leadership, economic populism, and... The survey, conducted by Our Revolution, shows deep frustration with current party leaders and overwhelming support for replacing them with candidates who represent the working class, not corporate interests. “Mamdani’s victory was not an outlier — it was a signal,” said Joseph Geevarghese, Executive Director of Our Revolution. “The grassroots are demanding change.

They want a Democratic Party that fights for working families, taxes the rich, and takes on Trump and the oligarchs driving this affordability crisis. The old guard must step aside or risk losing the movement that delivered these wins.” The message from the Democratic base is unmistakable: voters are ready to rebuild the party from the ground up. Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor was a massive, earth-shaking upset. When he announced his campaign last October, insiders scoffed: “Could this pro-Palestinian socialist really be NYC’s next mayor?” ran the headline at City & State. For Politico’s New York Playbook, he was little more than “a longshot,” whose presence in the race might damage established progressives like Brad Lander or Jessica Ramos.

Less than a month ago, betting markets gave him a 6 percent chance of defeating the heavy favorite Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani won anyway — not by eking it out in the seventh round of ranked-choice voting, but topping Cuomo among first-choice ballots and claiming outright victory on election night. His triumph sends a clear message: a bold populist campaign and a laser-like focus on economic issues can break through to voters, even when insiders, billionaires, and the party establishment line up in opposition. Mamdani’s stunning victory offers some vivid lessons for left-wing politics, both in New York City and beyond. For progressives, the race was a strong vindication of the economic-populist strategy we have long advocated in our work at the Center for Working-Class Politics (CWCP). As CWCP research associates Matt Karp and Dustin Guastella wrote in a 2021 Guardian article, to win, Democrats must “embrace bread and butter economic issues.” And unlike many other progressive candidates over the last...

His campaign was highly disciplined, with a tight focus on housing, transportation, wages, and the everyday cost of living. That message reached not just core progressive constituencies, but many working-class New Yorkers, who have traditionally shied away from progressive challengers or sat out Democratic primaries altogether. Crucially, Mamdani took a pragmatic approach on issues that have tripped up many other left challengers. He distanced… Photograph Source: Metropolitan Transportation Authority – CC BY 2.0 In a remarkable upset, progressive State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary.

Early polls showed Mamdani starting his campaign with around 1% support. Just six weeks before the June 24 election, his support was only at 11%, while Cuomo led with 49%. Three separate polls, conducted by Yale/YouGov, Marist College, and the Manhattan Institute within two weeks of the election, still showed Cuomo ahead by 12 points or more. Mamdani won the primary as the clear leader with 56% of the votes, totaling 545,334 votes. His campaign claimed that this was “the most votes any Democratic primary candidate has received in 36 years.” Cuomo received 44%, or 428,530 votes. Although NYC is the largest city in the U.S., this election was not on a national stage.

Jared Leopold, a Democratic strategist, summarized it well: “Communicating in a Democratic primary in New York City is very different from communicating in a swing district in Iowa.” For example, the white population makes...

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