Will the Democrats learn from Zohran Mamdani's victory?
The Democratic party is at a crossroads.
It can continue to push policies that maintain a broken and rigged economic and political system and ignore the pain of the 60% of Americans who live paycheck to paycheck. It can turn its back on the dreams of a younger generation which, if we don't change that system, will likely be worse off than their parents.
It can continue to depend upon billionaire donors and out-of-touch campaign consultants and spend huge amounts of money on dumb 30-second ads that fewer and fewer people respond to.
It can ignore the tragic reality that tens of millions of Americans are giving up on democracy because they don't see their government understanding their struggles and the realities of their lives or doing anything about it.
Or it can learn the lesson that the Zohran Mamdani campaign taught us on Tuesday.
And that is:
Have the courage to address the real economic and moral issues that face the majority of our people, take on the greed and power of the oligarchy and fight for an agenda that can improve life for working families.
Some may claim that Mamdani's victory was just about style and the fact that he is a charismatic candidate. Yes. He is. But you don't get a Mamdani victory without the extraordinary grassroots movement that rallied around him. And you don't get that movement and thousands of enthusiastic people knocking on doors without an economic agenda that speaks to the needs of working people. The people of New York and all Americans understand that, in the richest country on earth, they should not have to struggle every day just to put food on the table, pay their rent or pay their medical bills. These are the people the Democratic consultants don't know exist.
Mamdani has been criticized for his 'radical' and 'unrealistic' economic policies:
Demanding that, at a time of unprecedented income and wealth inequality, the rich and large corporations start paying their fair share of taxes.
Demanding that, when many New Yorkers are no longer able to find affordable housing, there should be a freeze on rent hikes.
Demanding that, when commuting to a job takes a big toll out of a worker's paycheck, public transportation should be free.
Demanding that, when many low-income and working people are unable to access good-quality food for themselves and their kids, publicly owned neighborhood grocery stores should be created.
These ideas, and more, are not radical. They may not be what billionaires, wealthy campaign contributors and real estate speculators want, but they are what working people want. And maybe, just maybe, it's time to listen to them.
Mamdani's victory was not about 'star power'. It was very much about people power, about revitalizing democracy and opening the door for ordinary people to gain control over the decisions that impact their lives.
Importantly, he did not run away from the moral issue that is troubling millions in New York and around the country: the need to end US military support for a rightwing extremist Benjamin Netanyahu government in Israel that is obliterating the people of Gaza and starving their children. Mamdani understands that antisemitism is a disgusting and dangerous ideology, but that it is not antisemitic to be critical of the inhumane policies of the Netanyahu government.
The lesson of Mamdani's campaign is that it is not good enough just to be critical of Trump and his destructive policies. We have to bring forth a positive vision and an analysis of why things are the way they are. It is not good enough to maintain a status quo that is failing most Americans. At a time when hope is in increasingly short supply, people must have the sense that if we work together, if we have the courage to take on powerful special interests, we can create a better world – a world of economic, social, racial and environmental justice.
Will the current Democratic party leadership learn the lessons of the Mamdani campaign? Probably not. Too many of them would rather be the captains on a sinking Titanic, rather than change course.
Then again, it doesn't matter what they think. The establishment threw everything they had against Mamdani – millions in Super Pac money, endorsements from 'important people', a hostile media – and they still lost.
The future of the Democratic party will not be determined by its current leadership. It will be decided by the working class of this country. Increasingly, people understand that our political system is corrupt and that billionaires should not be able to buy elections. They understand that we should not have an unprecedented level of income and wealth inequality; that we should not be the only wealthy country not to guarantee healthcare for all; that we should not deny young people the right to a higher education because of their income; that we should not have a major crisis in affordable housing; that we should not have a minimum wage that is a starvation wage; that we should not allow corporations to illegally prevent union organization – and much, much more.
The American people are beginning to stand up and fight back. We have seen that in the many Fighting Oligarchy events that we've done around the country that have drawn huge turnouts. We have seen that in the millions of people who came out for the No Kings rallies that took place this month in almost every state. And yesterday, we saw that in the Democratic primary in New York City.
We're going forward. And no one is going to stop us.
Bernie Sanders is a US senator, and ranking member of the health, education, labor and pensions committee. He represents the state of Vermont and is the longest-serving independent in the history of Congress
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The Guardian
18 minutes ago
- The Guardian
‘It's very concerning': conservatives react to Zohran Mamdani's New York primary showing
He is the democratic socialist who has been described as a gift to the Republican party. Zohran Mamdani's stunning showing in the Democratic primary election for mayor of New York this week was seen by some as perfect fodder to whip up a new 'red scare'. Donald Trump called him 'a 100% Communist Lunatic', writing on social media: 'We've had Radical Lefties before, but this is getting a little ridiculous.' But at a gathering of religious conservatives in Washington on Friday, the first attendee interviewed by the Guardian expressed admiration for what Mamdani had pulled off in beating establishment favorite Andrew Cuomo. Kevin Abplanalp, who has worked on political campaigns, said: 'He ran a fantastic ground game. I was very impressed with his grassroots work. Cuomo was a terrible candidate so it's a combination of a repudiation of Cuomo and excitement over a younger guy with energy and different ideas.' Abplanalp, 49, executive director of the group Coalition for Liberty, added: 'He's a bit too socialistic for my taste but it is New York. They've had Marxists before. It is what it is.' Mamdani was endorsed by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, a leading progressive some believe could now be encouraged to mount a bid for the White House in 2028. But that prospect was met with complacency and ridicule at the Freedom & Faith Coalition's Road to Majority conference. Abplanalp commented: 'That is hilarious. I don't think she has the requisite experience. We've had other presidents who don't have the requisite experience: Jimmy Carter for one. Do people want to have another train wreck of someone that just talks a good game? There's nothing on her résumé that screams executive capability.' The annual gathering was addressed by senators from Pennsylvania, Ohio and Oklahoma along with Virginia'a governor, Glenn Youngkin, and Trump's border 'czar', Tom Homan. In the eyes of many delegates, Mamdani's surprise victory was evidence of liberal eccentricity in New York that will not fly elsewhere. Andrea Moore, 55, from Virginia, said: 'I'm a little surprised but at the same time it is New York.' She told an anecdote about an Uber driver who was upset about New York potentially giving people who illegally crossed the border '$2,000 a month of taxpayer money and the right to vote immediately'. As for Ocasio-Cortez running for president, she remarked: 'I don't think I'd fear it but I'd probably laugh about it.' Steven Perkins, 74, who is retired and from South Dakota, said: 'It's not just that we're conservatives but we know our communities. You get out of the big core cities and people are pretty conservative and traditional and they aren't ready for all of this much change to occur. There's this big reaction. The Democrats better wake up.' Mamdani, 33, combined charisma and social media savvy with a policy agenda focused on New York's affordability crisis. His plans include freezing rent for many residents, free bus service and universal childcare paid for by new taxes on the wealthy. Some at the Road to Majority conference found this affront to capitalism. Darin Moser, 56, from Mount Airy, North Carolina, said: 'It's very concerning. The United States was built on freedom and free markets and we need to stay on that because that's what's made us successful and the most successful nation in the world.' One attendee, who did not wish to be named, blamed the media for making socialism seem like the answer to their problems. He said: 'If you repeat anything enough times people are going to believe it but it's not been proven. Socialism or communism has proven to fail every time it's been put into play. It comes around newly clothed but it's the same worn-out policy.' The ascent of Mamdani, who would be New York's first Muslim mayor, triggered an onslaught of Islamaphobic attacks across social media, including from some Republican members of Congress. Centrist Democrats remained nervous about backing him, fearful that he could damage the party in swing states. But in the view of Ronald Wilcox, 63, from Fairfax county in Virginia, Democrats have already embraced extremism and lost touch with reality. 'The left has no limit to what they will vote for,' he said. 'I trust no Democrat because there's no limit to how bad a person can be and they'll still support him.' Could the US ever elect a socialist president? Wilcox, who works in direct mail, replied: 'I won't say never but the mood of America, the new generation, is embracing Trump. The young generation is moving to conservative, the Asians are moving to conservative, the Latinos are moving to conservative because we share their values.'
Daily Mail
19 minutes ago
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