University of Kwazulu-Natal

The People S City Lessons From Zohran Mamdani S Historic Mayoral Victo

Bonisiwe Shabane
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the people s city lessons from zohran mamdani s historic mayoral victo

On November 4, 2025, New York City—the largest, richest, and perhaps most symbolically important city in America—made history. The election of Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist and Muslim, as the city’s next mayor marks a political and cultural inflection point not only for New York but for the nation. His triumph—securing more votes than any New York mayoral candidate since 1969—cannot be dismissed as a quirk of urban politics or a fluke of voter sentiment. It is a reflection of a shifting electorate, discontent with entrenched power and animated by the idea that government can —and should —serve all its people. In a political climate defined by cynicism, polarization, and billionaire dominance, Mamdani’s victory is a reminder that democracy still breathes—vigorously and defiantly—when a vision of justice, equity, and possibility inspires ordinary citizens. His rise from obscurity to the most powerful municipal office in America invites us to ask what this says about the state of American politics and what lessons both major parties—and the public—must draw...

Few could have predicted that a young state assemblyman from Queens—polling at just 1 percent less than a year ago—would end up sweeping every borough but Staten Island. His campaign was fueled not by billionaire donors or political machines but by grassroots enthusiasm, public financing, and an unrelenting focus on the material struggles of working families. Mamdani’s slogan, “This city is your city,” was more than rhetoric—it became a rallying cry for the underrepresented. His message connected across class, ethnicity, and religion, in a metropolis often defined by division. And unlike many who have sought to lead New York, he carried neither the air of elitism nor the shadow of corruption. His victory demonstrates that in an era of widespread alienation, voters crave authenticity over polish, principle over triangulation, and vision over fear.

It’s not just a victory for the left—it’s a vindication of civic engagement and public trust restored. Urban development in America has never been just about buildings, budgets, or blueprints. It has always been a reflection of our moral imagination—of what, and whom, we believe cities are for. To understand Zohran Mamdani’s rise, we have to place him within this longer story: the struggle over whether cities should serve capital or justice. Should urban policy be guided by the cold precision of development economics, or by a vision of fairness and dignity? Are rising rents and deepening exclusion the inevitable byproducts of progress, or the deliberate outcomes of political choices?

And if our cities have been built on inequality, are we condemned to live within them as they are, or can we construct something radically different? Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once called budgets “moral documents.” They reveal, he argued, not just what a society can afford, but what it values. Policy is never neutral; it is an expression of moral will. Zohran Mamdani built his New York City mayoral campaign on this principle.

And, remarkably, he won. Mamdani’s victory marks a rupture in a long American tradition. For centuries, urban policy has treated inequality as inevitable, rather than intentional. The industrial city of the 19th century thrived on a brutal calculus: unemployment kept wages low, proximity to the factory ensured control, and the working class was simultaneously desired and despised. Poverty and hunger were not aberrations, they were the consequence of policies. The resulting social ills of crime, disease, and despair were blamed not on the systems that produced them, but on the people who bore their weight.

In 1900, for example, the average factory worker’s wage was approximately 20¢ per hour (about $7.71 today). Nearly 20% of the population in industrialized cities lived in poverty at the time. Suffering was not an accident of American urban life; it was its architecture. 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. 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. THIS IS AN EXPANDED VERSION OF JACK MAYCOCK’S PIECE IN PR WEEK The most talked-about mayoral election in generations has come to a close: Zohran Mamdani, who polled at just 9% in the Democratic primary in January, will be the next mayor of New York.

It can’t be overstated how exceptional it is for a self-declared “democratic socialist” to win in the hub of 20th-century capitalism. New York might be more socially liberal than other parts of the US, but make no mistake: it’s no egalitarian utopia. So how did a 34-year-old Muslim democratic socialist go from political outsider to mayor of the richest city in the world? And can it be replicated, and what can progressive leaders across civil society take from this? Here are five lessons from one of the best political campaigns of the 21st century. For any outsider candidate, the electorate needs to understand the reason for your candidacy – and fast.

By A UVE Blog Contributor | November 5, 2025 New York City woke up this morning to a new political landscape, one decisively reshaped by yesterday’s mayoral election. In a race that captured the city’s restless energy, Zohran Mamdani, the state assemblyman from Astoria, secured a victory that is being called historic by analysts across the political spectrum. The results mark a profound shift in the city’s political identity and set the stage for a new chapter in its governance. But what makes this moment so significant, and what does it signal for the future of America’s largest city? Yesterday’s election wasn’t just a change in leadership; it was a potential realignment.

While final turnout numbers are still being certified by the Board of Elections, preliminary reports suggest a higher-than-expected engagement from younger voters and residents in the outer boroughs, who mobilized in significant numbers. Mamdani’s win is historic on several fronts. He is not only the city’s first South Asian-American mayor but also the first openly socialist candidate to win the office in modern history. This victory represents a significant pivot from the more centrist Democratic politics that have governed the city for decades. It suggests a growing voter appetite for foundational, rather than incremental, change, particularly concerning the city’s escalating cost of living. This election appears to have been less about traditional party lines and more about a referendum on housing, public transit, and economic inequality.

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