University of Kwazulu-Natal

Mamdani Win In Nyc Primary Election Is Lesson For Democrats Opinion

Bonisiwe Shabane
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mamdani win in nyc primary election is lesson for democrats opinion

It’s a new day in New York City, and a new era for the Democratic Party. State assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, 34, was elected mayor of the nation’s most populous city Nov. 4, after running a groundbreaking campaign from the primary to Election Day with limited help from fellow Democrats. More than 2 million voters cast ballots in Tuesday's election, the most since 1969, with more than 100,000 New Yorkers registering to vote in the months leading up to it, according to the New... With his win, it’s clear we aren’t just watching a rising political star – we’re watching the party shift in real time. Mamdani’s win signals to the most powerful people in the Democratic Party that they can, in fact, win elections by focusing on working-class issues.

They can run bold, radical campaigns and even run the risk of being labeled “communists,” so long as they have a clear vision for what the future can look like for everyday people. I’ve followed Mamdani’s campaign since December 2024, when I was handed an informational flyer by one of his supporters outside of a subway station in Queens. At the time, Mamdani was a long-shot candidate with a 1% chance of victory in the Democratic primary. The 33-year-old's success prompted varied reactions in the city. Just hours after Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani declared victory in New York's mayoral primary on Wednesday, a small group of business leaders convened with Mayor Eric Adams, who bypassed the Democratic primary and is... Attendees were focused on strategizing how to prevent Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assembly member, from winning the mayoralty -- and assessing whether Adams was the strongest contender to oppose him in November.

Among those present was former NYC mayoral candidate and former hedge fund executive Whitney Tilson, who recently shared a debate stage with Mamdani. Tilson described Mamdani as "very charming and charismatic," but added he sharply disagrees with Mamdani's policies and that "[a small fraction] of New York City voters picked him… It's a totally rigged closed primary." Tilson told ABC News when it became clear the race was between two people, he had hoped former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo would win. He said he would "...continue for the next 130 days what I began in earnest 45 days ago -- to make sure Zohran Mamdani, an unqualified radical socialist, does not become mayor of our... In a blow to the Democratic Party establishment, Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist and a state assemblyman from Queens, all but secured a victory in the New York Democratic mayoral primary on Tuesday.

(The race may not be called until next week due to ranked choice voting procedures, but his main competitor, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, has already conceded.) There are a number of factors that explain Mamdani’s decisive lead. He radiates charisma that even his rivals can’t help but comment on. He uses social media with adroitness not seen perhaps since Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s first run for Congress.

He had a jaw-dropping ground game, an army of happy warriors who swarmed the city canvassing for months and helped turn him from a little-known lawmaker in New York into a candidate with national... Mamdani’s socialism is key to understanding his policy ideas — and their appeal. But none of this would have come together had it not been for Mamdani’s central vision: a campaign laser-focused on the “crisis of affordability” in New York City and driven by hugely ambitious policy... Mamdani has not yet won the general election, but his insurgent campaign still has lessons for a party that has failed to find its voice on economic policy at a time of plummeting trust... As establishment Democrats are casting about for ways to restore their tattered brand, Mamdani is showing how the left can make economic populism the centerpiece of political campaigns and wrest it back from the... But it requires the willingness to be seen as polarizing, and the confidence to try to persuade the electorate.

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... Nevertheless, a quick look at his initial support and his victory sharply contrasts with Vice President Kamala Harris’s initial support and loss. In roughly the same amount of time before Election Day for both Harris and Mamdani, Harris was 2% behind Donald Trump according to a New York Times/Siena College poll, and Mamdani was 38% behind... Mamdani won despite performing poorly with low-income voters, losing the majority of Black voters and criticizing Israel while showing sympathy for the Gaza Palestinians. All three conditions should have led to a Democratic candidate losing.

In a stunning upset, 33-year-old Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primary for New York City mayor. Final results won't be official for several days, but his win has sent shockwaves through the Democratic Party. To discuss Mamdani's win and what comes next, Amna Nawaz spoke with Errol Lewis, political anchor for Spectrum News NY1 and host of the Inside City Hall program. Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors. In a stunning upset, 33-year-old Zohran Mamdani won last night's Democratic primary for New York City mayor.

Final results won't be official for several days, but his win has sent shockwaves through the Democratic Party. Mamdani spoke to supporters late last night. Zohran Mamdani (D), New York City Mayoral Candidate: If this campaign has demonstrated anything to the world,it is that our dreams can become reality. Zohran Mamdani decided, in his quest to become New York City's mayor, he would walk the entire length of Manhattan - starting at 19:00 one Friday evening in early June. Video of the feat on social media captures New Yorkers frame-by-frame giving him thumbs up and embracing him. Several clap for the "next mayor".

He's doing it, he tells followers, because New Yorkers deserve a mayor they can see, hear and even yell at. It takes only a quick scroll through 33-year-old Mamdani's social media accounts to understand just how different his style is from that of a traditional politician, rejecting typical soundbites for a more unrehearsed feel. After he won the New York Democratic primary on Tuesday, that playbook is getting accolades for its ability to attract a large coalition. This is a wakeup call for the Democratic Party, said pollster Frank Luntz. The big loser of the night wasn't his main opponent, former governor Andrew Cuomo, he said, but the US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who represents the Democratic Party establishment. Grassroots Democrats are demanding "a more ideological, confrontational approach to policy and politics" in the time of US President Donald Trump, Mr Luntz said.

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