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Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
How 'socialist' is Zohran Mamdani?
Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Party candidate and front-runner for mayoral elections of New York, calls himself a 'democratic socialist', something that has created a lot of concern among many in the United States. The US is synonymous with capitalism, an economic system where the means of production (land, labour, capital) are privately owned and incomes are distributed through the operations of markets. Socialism evolved in large part as a reaction to the capitalist system, and has meant different things at different times. In some cases it refers to the state (or the government) owning the means of production, while in other contexts it could mean the workers owning the means of production while competing in a market economy. Mamdani's detractors — including within the Democratic Party — believe his policy prescriptions could spell doom for the city that never sleeps, pushing out businesses while saddling the running of the city with excessive government controls and taxation. His supporters see his rise as a clear message that the Democratic Party must shift 'left' to counter the Donald Trump-led MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement, which is pulling the US further towards the economic and social 'right'. In a recent interview, Mamdani was asked if he likes capitalism. He winced and said no, before describing himself as a 'democratic socialist'. And to define what it meant, Mamdani quoted American civil rights activist Martin Luther King: 'Call democracy or call it democratic socialism, there must be a better distribution of wealth for all of God's children in this country.' Mamdani said he was focussed on the rising inequality in the US today, and wants to address the problem of affordability. He is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) which explains democratic socialism as follows: 'Capitalism is a system designed by the owning class to exploit the rest of us for their own profit. We must replace it with democratic socialism, a system where ordinary people have a real voice in our workplaces, neighborhoods, and society…'. 'We want a democracy that creates space for us all to flourish, not just survive, and answers the fundamental questions of our lives with the input of all. We want to collectively own the key economic drivers that dominate our lives, such as energy production and transportation. We want the multiracial working class united in solidarity instead of divided by fear. We want to win 'radical' reforms like single-payer Medicare for All, defunding the police/refunding communities, the Green New Deal, and more as a transition to a freer, more just life.' According to the Fiscal Policy Institute (FPI) — an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank that focuses on the state of New York — New York may have already entered a period of stagflation (a deadly combination of low growth and high inflation). According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, in 2022 New York city had a GDP of $1.2 trillion — roughly one-third the size of India's GDP — with a population of just 8.3 million. Prior to the pandemic, the city had experienced its strongest economic boom in decades. But the Covid-19 pandemic has dealt a severe blow to the city's economy and employment, one that still has not recovered from. Land prices and thus home prices are exceptionally high with median household income in 2022 being $72,000 per annum while the median home price was $724,000. One of the main reasons why Mamdani has captured the imagination of the voters in the Democratic Party's internal elections is his laser focus on making the city more affordable for New Yorkers. During the mayoral debate among democratic contenders, Mamdani boldly unveiled his plan to achieve this goal. 'I will freeze the rent for millions of tenants, make buses fast and free and deliver universal childcare. And before you ask, I'll pay for it by taxing the rich — the same billionaire who put Donald Trump in the White House, the same ones who are now funding Andrew Cuomo's [a former NYC mayor and his main opponent during the Democratic primary] campaign.' Apart from freezing the rent — a policy choice that has attracted a lot of attention because nearly 70% households rent their homes — Mamdani has also promised to introduce government-owned grocery stores. He says that nearly 9 in 10 New Yorkers say the cost of groceries is rising faster than their income and as Mayor he will create a network of city-owned grocery stores focused on keeping prices low, not making a profit. 'Without having to pay rent or property taxes, they [such shops] will reduce overhead and pass on savings to shoppers. They will buy and sell at wholesale prices, centralise warehousing and distribution, and partner with local neighborhoods on products and sourcing,' Mamdani's manifesto states. Mamdani also wants to raise the minimum wages. 'In the world's richest city, making the minimum wage shouldn't mean living in poverty,' he says. As Mayor, Mamdani 'will champion a new local law bringing the NYC wage floor up to $30/hour by 2030. After that, the minimum wage will automatically increase based on the cost of living and productivity increases. When working people have more money in their pocket, the whole economy thrives,' according to his policy manifesto. There are three main concerns with Mamdani's proposals. One, the belief that governments can solve real issues by fixing prices (or wages) in the economy is viewed with suspicion among mainstream economists. At one level, if it only requires someone in government to fix prices in order to stem price rise, there would never be any inflation or crisis of affordability. There is a large body of research that shows that while freezing rents appear to help affordability in the short run and for current tenants, in the long-run such a move disincentives more houses being built and decreases affordability, especially for the future tenants. Higher prices are a signal of mismatch between demand and supply. The more substantive way to solve it is by boosting supply. To be sure, Mamdani recognises the need to build more houses, albeit he proposes to build just 200,000 while some of his opponents are promising to build a million (especially since they want the private sector to build them). Second, is a concern about the efficiency of government-run enterprises such as grocery stores. Again, there are many examples from the world over that, more often than not, shops or businesses run by the government are inefficient and often plagued with corruption. Third, is a concern about excessive taxation driving out businesses from NYC, thus robbing it of the economic dynamism that fuels the city's growth. One of the candidates that Mamdani defeated in the Democratic Primary race is Whitney Tilson, a former hedge fund manager who also helped create Teach For America. During the debate earlier in June, Tilson pointed out that if Mamdani's taxation plan is implemented 'NYC businesses would be paying double the tax rate of New Jersey, triple that of Connecticut, and five-times that of Florida, which would lead to an exodus of businesses and jobs and crash our city.' Udit Misra is Deputy Associate Editor. Follow him on Twitter @ieuditmisra ... Read More
CNBC
20 hours ago
- Business
- CNBC
Trump calls New York Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani 'a communist'
President Donald Trump on Friday called New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani "a communist," and said the Big Apple will become "a communistic city" if he is elected mayor in November. "I can't believe that's happening," Trump told reporters at the White House. "That's a terrible thing for our country, by the way." Trump's comments came three days after Mamdani — who is a democratic socialist, not a communist — scored a stunning victory over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the first round of the city's Democratic mayoral primary. Cuomo conceded to Mamdani late Tuesday night, acknowledging the strong likelihood that the next round of the primary's ranked-choice voting system would confirm Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, as the Democratic Party's nominee. Mamdani won the initial primary round despite the fact that many prominent Democrats had endorsed Cuomo. His victory has sent some major investors, New York business leaders and conservative news commentators into a tizzy over the now-very-real possibility that Mamdani, a three-term state assemblyman, will be the mayor of America's largest city. Mamdani's campaign platform calls for an increase in the corporate tax rate, higher taxes on the wealthy, a rent freeze and free buses. Trump acknowledged the alarm over Mandani among business leaders, saying they are "worried that somebody like this communist from New York someday gets elected." "He's a communist. We're going to go to a communistic city," said the president. "That's so bad for New York." CNBC has requested comment from Mamdani's campaign about Trump's remarks. Phillip Laffront, founder of the Coatue Management hedge fund, told CNBC on Wednesday that if Mamdani wins the general election, some wealthy investors could decide to move away from the city. "Some people are going to, for sure, go," Laffont said on "Squawk Box." Cuomo has not yet announced whether he plans to run for mayor this fall as an independent. New York City's current mayor, Eric Adams, is already seeking re-election as an independent candidate. Initially elected as a Democrat, Adams decided earlier this year to run for re-election as an independent, rather than ask fellow Democrats to nominate him on the party's ballot. Adams has become increasingly unpopular in New York after he was indicted in September on federal corruption charges brought by the Department of Justice when Democratic former President Joe Biden was still in office. After Trump took office in January, the DOJ asked a judge to dismiss the case against Adams, arguing that prosecuting the mayor would interfere with his ability to govern the city and to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, a priority for the new president. Seven federal prosecutors, including the acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney whose office was handling the case, resigned in protest over the DOJ's effort to drop Adams' prosecution. In April, District Court Judge Dale Hole dismissed the case against Adams with prejudice, meaning that it cannot be resurrected by the DOJ when Adams leaves office. In his order, Ho blasted the Justice Department, which had initially wanted the case dismissed without prejudice, which would allow prosecutors to re-open the case at some point, potentially. "Everything here smacks of a bargain: dismissal of the indictment in exchange for immigration policy concessions" by Adams, Ho wrote. The judge said that dismissing the case without prejudice "would create the unavoidable perception that the Mayor's freedom depends on his ability to carry out the immigration enforcement priorities of the administration."
News18
a day ago
- Politics
- News18
Zohran Mamdani Faces Deportation Demands From Republicans: Can Trump Revoke His Citizenship?
Last Updated: Republicans are calling for NYC mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani to be denaturalised and deported. Here's why they want it and whether it's legally possible A political firestorm has erupted following Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani 's stunning upset over former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic mayoral primary — a key contest to determine the party's nominee for New York City's top post. While the final result of the primary is expected on July 1, Cuomo conceded the race less than two hours after polls closed, and Mamdani has already declared victory. If confirmed, Mamdani will become the Democratic Party's official nominee for the November 2025 general election. But with his meteoric rise, the 33-year-old state assemblyman has also drawn sharp attacks from prominent Republicans, with some going as far as demanding that US President Donald Trump revoke Mamdani's US citizenship and deport him. Who Is Zohran Mamdani? Zohran Mamdani, 33, was born in Uganda to Indian parents — acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair and political theorist Mahmood Mamdani —lived briefly in South Africa, and moved to New York City at age 7. He became a naturalised US citizen in 2018, which means he was not born a citizen but acquired it through the legal immigration process. Elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020, Mamdani represents a constituency in Queens, a borough of New York City known for its large immigrant population. He is affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America and is often associated with the party's far-left wing. Mamdani is backed by progressive Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) and other members of the so-called 'Squad," a group of Democratic lawmakers known for their radical positions on policing, immigration, and foreign policy. If elected in November, Mamdani would make history as New York City's first Muslim and Indian-American mayor. Why Are Republicans Calling For His Deportation? 'He needs to be DEPORTED," Ogles posted on X (formerly Twitter), adding: 'Which is why I am calling for him to be subject to denaturalisation proceedings." Zohran 'little muhammad" Mamdani is an antisemitic, socialist, communist who will destroy the great City of New York. He needs to be DEPORTED. Which is why I am calling for him to be subject to denaturalization is my letter to @AGPamBondi. — Rep. Andy Ogles (@RepOgles) June 26, 2025 Ogles sent a formal letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi requesting that the Department of Justice open an investigation into whether Mamdani obtained US citizenship fraudulently. He claimed that Mamdani might have concealed ties to groups accused of supporting terrorism, specifically citing a 2017 rap lyric in which Mamdani referenced the 'Holy Land Five" — founders of a now-defunct Muslim charity convicted in 2008 of funding terror group Hamas. 'Publicly praising the Foundation's convicted leadership as 'my guys' raises serious concerns about whether Mr. Mamdani held affiliations or sympathies he failed to disclose during the naturalisation process," Ogles wrote in the letter. He added: 'While I understand that some may raise First Amendment concerns about taking legal action based on expressive conduct, such as rap lyrics, speech alone does not preclude accountability where it reasonably suggests underlying conduct relevant to eligibility for naturalisation." The NY Young Republican Club's Call To Action Adding fuel to the fire, the New York Young Republican Club (NYYRC) issued what it called a 'call to action" on social media, urging Trump and his advisors to invoke the 1954 Communist Control Act to strip Mamdani of his citizenship. 'The radical Zohran Mamdani cannot be allowed to destroy our beloved city of New York," the NYYRC posted. 'The Communist Control Act lets President Trump revoke @ZohranKMamdani's citizenship and promptly deport him." They tagged White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and border czar Tom Homan, writing: 'The time for action is now. New York is counting on you." Other Republicans followed suit. South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace posted a poll asking if Mamdani should be denaturalised and deported. Georgia Rep. Mike Collins tweeted: 'Might be time to bring back the [House Un-American Activities] Committee." New York City is on the verge of electing a socialist for mayor. Might be time to bring back the committee. — Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) June 25, 2025 What Are They Alleging? Republicans are accusing Mamdani of: White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller claimed Mamdani's win shows what happens when a country fails to control immigration: 'The entire Democrat party is lining up behind the diehard socialist who wants to end all immigration enforcement and abolish the prison system entirely." The entire Democrat party is lining up behind the diehard socialist who wants to end all immigration enforcement and abolish the prison system entirely. — Stephen Miller (@StephenM) June 25, 2025 Trump himself weighed in on Truth Social: 'It's finally happened, the Democrats have crossed the line. Zohran Mamdani, a 100% Communist Lunatic, has just won the Dem Primary, and is on his way to becoming Mayor." What Has Mamdani Said? During his victory speech, Mamdani said: 'This has been a historically contentious race. One that has filled our airwaves with millions in smears and slander… I hope now that this primary has come to an end, I can introduce myself once more. Not as you've seen me in a 30-second ad or in a mailer in your mailbox, but as how I will lead as your mayor." He also fired back at Republican councilwoman Vickie Paladino, who claimed he was trying to undermine America: 'Like nearly 40 percent of New Yorkers, I wasn't born in this country. I moved here at age 7. It's my home. And I'm proud to be a citizen, which means standing up for our Constitution. Councilmember Paladino might consider reading it." Can Trump Actually Deport Mamdani? So far, none of Mamdani's critics have presented concrete legal evidence that he violated US naturalisation law. Still, the process of denaturalisation — legally revoking someone's citizenship — is possible in the United States, though it remains extremely rare. Under American law, a person can lose their US citizenship only if: They obtained it through fraud or deliberate misrepresentation (such as hiding criminal or extremist affiliations) They were associated with a group promoting violent overthrow of the US government within five years of naturalisation They committed serious crimes like terrorism or war crimes before becoming a citizen and failed to disclose them during the process The US government must prove all this in federal court, using strong and convincing evidence. What counts as 'material misrepresentation" (i.e., a serious lie that would have affected the citizenship decision) often depends on the specifics of the case. Even if denaturalised, Mamdani would not be automatically deported. He would revert to being a lawful permanent resident (green card holder). That status allows him to live and work in the US but can make him vulnerable to deportation, though that would require a separate legal process with valid grounds. Some Republicans are also invoking the Communist Control Act of 1954, a Cold War-era law passed during America's anti-communist 'Red Scare." It aimed to ban Communist Party activity in the US. However, this law has barely been enforced, has faced multiple constitutional challenges, and has never been used to revoke someone's citizenship. Legal experts view it as largely symbolic and unenforceable today. top videos View all What Happens Next? For now, the legal threats appear more political than procedural. No formal denaturalisation case has been filed. Whether or not Trump can actually deport Mamdani may be a legal longshot. But the controversy has already turned into a potent flashpoint in an increasingly polarised US political landscape. About the Author Karishma Jain Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @ More Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : donald trump new york mayor US House Republicans Zohran Mamdani Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 27, 2025, 11:34 IST News explainers Zohran Mamdani Faces Deportation Demands From Republicans: Can Trump Revoke His Citizenship?
The Intercept
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Intercept
Zohran Can Happen Anywhere (But Having an Opponent Like Cuomo Helps)
A worker dismantles the stage following New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo's election-night watch party for the Democratic primary on June 24, 2025 in New York City. Photo:Zohran Mamdani's victory on Tuesday night has launched a wave of enthusiasm across the progressive left and a wave of analysis in the political press. The core question is simple: Can a young, Muslim, card-carrying Democratic Socialists of America candidate beat powerful establishment figures anywhere in the country? Is this a New York phenomenon, or a sign of a shift in the Democratic electorate as a whole? The answer is yes. Yes, the failure of the 'too big to fail' mayoral candidacy of former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, armed with millions in establishment cash, in the face of a volunteer-driven challenge from the left, can happen anywhere. Cuomo can stand in for the increasingly tone-deaf national Democratic Party leadership, which has insisted since the 2024 loss that the party has to moderate its views and dismissed elected youth leader David Hogg for threatening to primary older Democratic congressional members, even after the debacle of the Biden 2024 campaign. And yes, the specific combination of a generationally talented, principled, and authentic candidate with deep connections to social movements whose campaign successfully mobilized tens of thousands of volunteers going up against Cuomo, in particular, played a significant role in Mamdani's success. The lessons from Mamdani's campaign can power insurgent progressive challengers to moderate Democratic machine candidates in other races, even outside of deep-blue urban centers (and it's worth remembering that New York has a long history of Republican mayors). First, Mamdani hammered on affordability, pushing an economically progressive policy platform of free buses, a rent freeze, and free child care, which sent a clear message to voters about his priorities. He also pushed a handful of innovative ideas, such as municipally owned grocery stores and higher taxes on the rich, which drew people in with the spark of the new. And he hit the streets. With public engagements and visits to communities across New York City, he presented an image as an open-minded and wholesome man of the people, and included his commitments to human solidarity and dignity — including for the Palestinian people — throughout his speeches. His campaign quickly became associated with cost of living, and while his proposals were attacked for not being 'realistic,' he stayed faithful to his message, which motivated over 29,000 volunteers to knock over 1 million doors. His successful use of social media, including strategic collaborations with popular progressive influencers, also helped get his message out. The economic message, commitment to solidarity, and amazing ground game can absolutely be replicated, with the right principled candidate and a strong network of grassroots organizations and mobilized volunteers. Mamdani also stressed social justice issues, such as protections for the LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities from Trump. And though he was never shy about expressing his beliefs on Palestine, his campaign focused mostly on universal issues of economic justice and access that would disproportionately help marginalized communities and communities of color. For example, Black families with school-age children have left New York City over the past 20 years at the highest rate compared to any other group, according to census data, simply because the cost of having children was too high. Mamdani's plan to provide free child care at birth (and the soaring costs of child care is documented as a significant source of economic pressure for New Yorkers), baby boxes to new parents, and universal afterschool programs in the NYC Department of Education would be a boon to the diverse communities that benefit most from such services, while still providing help for New Yorkers across all levels of income. Almost three-quarters of New York City public school students fill federal criteria for 'economically disadvantaged' — and the universal pre-K program set up by Mayor Bill de Blasio remains one of his most popular achievements, and is used by families at a range of income levels. Running on popular economic issues, standing up for social justice, and organizing a good ground game and social media campaign can all succeed anywhere. But the race, like all races, still hinged on particulars. Mamdani was running with some handicaps that other candidates seeking to reproduce his success may not face. Multiple rivals dinged the 33-year-old state assembly member for his youth and relative inexperience. Mamdani also faced racist attacks, as attack mailers sent by Cuomo's PAC depicted him with a darkened beard, in an attempt to play into Islamophobic tropes. Mamdani managed to turn his youth and identity to his advantage, mobilizing young voters and Muslim and South Asian voters across the city. Any candidate seeking to replicate his success can also change their liabilities into advantages, and use their positionality to mobilize and energize 'less-likely voters,' who are underrepresented in polling samples, but it's certainly a difficult feat to pull off. Then there is his opponent. Andrew Cuomo came in with immediate name recognition, the backing of New York's Democratic establishment, and outspent Mamdani with a $25 million super PAC — but ran a lackluster campaign, and was shadowed by a long legacy of toxicity across many corners of politically engaged New York City. In many ways, Mamdani became a representative of every marginalized progressive in New York City who had fought Cuomo's terrible politics, and terrible style of governing, for over a decade. Cuomo, a dinosaur of the Clinton era 'Third Way' Democratic Party — he served as President Bill Clinton's housing and urban development secretary — came into the governor's office in 2011, as the state was recovering from the 2008 financial crisis. Cuomo swaggered into office with an extreme austerity budget, cutting 2.7 percent over the previous year, which included billions of dollars in cuts to necessary services like education and Medicaid, a loss intensified by losing federal matching funds, and only a tiny revenue bump from changing lottery rules. This budget delayed the court-ordered budget increases to high-needs schools and included provisions to fire up to 10,000 state workers. (Many of these job cuts were reversed when unions accepted cutbacks, wage freezes, and furloughs). Cuomo came into his first year in office wielding an austerity axe, and seemed to relish making enemies in public sector unions, health care, and education. Cuomo pushed these cuts through and would continue his strongman rule of the New York state government, thanks to a divided legislature, which allowed him to occupy a role as a central dealmaker for the state. But Democrats won control of both the New York State Assembly and the Senate in 2012, and Republican dominance of the Senate appeared to have come to an end. But four Democratic senators created their own breakaway caucus called the Independent Democratic Conference, or the IDC, which then chose to form a coalition with the Republicans, effectively handing back control of the Senate. Cuomo quickly used this to his advantage, mostly to slow the rate of progressive legislation. While Cuomo claimed to not be involved, reports beginning in 2014 showed that Cuomo encouraged the creation of this conference and even offered advice and strategy to the IDC. Cuomo also became mired in ethics scandals after he created, then quickly shut down, the Moreland Commission, created in January 2013 to root out corruption in state government. This made him a target for a principled primary challenge from good governance expert and law professor Zephyr Teachout in 2014. Teachout won a third of the primary vote, signaling disapproval of Cuomo among the electorate, but Cuomo did not take the challenge seriously. Cuomo continued to govern with disproportionate control, using the divided government to his advantage and engaging in policies that hurt New York City, such as cutting hundreds of millions of dollars of MTA funding and threatening to cut $485 million from City University of New York funding (about one-third of the state's contribution) in 2016. Criticism of Cuomo intensified following Donald Trump's 2016 presidential victory. When state senators from deep-blue Democratic districts in diverse urban communities joined the IDC in early 2017, that sparked new outrage and brought new attention to the issue. Constituents became activated under the broader #Resistance movement of the time, and began to hold their senators accountable and threaten primaries. In order to placate these activists, Cuomo 'negotiated' a deal in late 2017 in which IDC senators would return to the Democratic conference following a timeline. However, activists, including new Resistance groups and established entities like New York's Working Families Party, could not be placated and ran progressive challengers, raised money, and succeeded at beating 6 of the 8 IDC challengers by September 2018. Despite his association with Republicans during the Trump administration, Cuomo managed to win in 2018 against his progressive challenger, Cynthia Nixon, who made taking out the IDC a central part of her platform. The IDC, along with Cuomo, stalled many progressive reforms in New York state, lagging behind comparable states like California. But in 2019, with Democratic majorities in both houses, the New York State Legislature passed a historic slate of progressive reforms, including the DREAM Act, progressive criminal justice reforms, the codification of Roe v. Wade into state law, gun control laws, and historic extension of the state's rent regulation laws — all passed in thanks to the Democratic control and injection of progressive state senators. Many anti-IDC activists remained frustrated at Cuomo's Teflon-like ability to ignore criticism. His invincibility seemed more apparent during his meteoric rise to national stardom during his daily Covid-19 briefings in 2019. But his ascension to stardom was quickly matched by the dizzying fall to disgrace when 13 women, mostly former staffers, came forward to share their stories of his sexual harassment and retaliation. As key Democratic leaders, in the wake of #MeToo, called for his resignation, he resigned in disgrace. But his final year was also riddled with other ethical crises, including the nursing home crisis and his use of employees in drafting his 2020 Covid memoir. Taxpayers paid $60 million to cover the legal fees from these scandals, and some of Cuomo's sexual harassment suits are still being contested in court. It's a mystery why Cuomo decided that his scandals did not matter, and decided to jump into the mayoral race once current mayor Eric Adam's own legal troubles became a major political liability. Perhaps in the age of Trump's second presidency, Cuomo decided that #MeToo was over. Like other national Democratic leaders, he saw the future of the Democratic Party in moderates who could appeal to disaffected Republicans. Perhaps, like Hillary Clinton in 2016, he believed that his 'qualification' arguments would crowd out voters' concerns about his misdeeds. Cuomo the governor apologized for his behavior in 2021, but mayoral candidate Cuomo claimed in 2025 that he did nothing wrong, saying his only regret was his decision to resign. Perhaps the shift from Biden to Trump voters from 2020 to 2024 in many immigrant and communities of color in NYC convinced Cuomo that voters would want a similarly traditional and swaggering man from Queens, like Trump, to run their city. Cuomo has been proven wrong. He made mistakes almost every step of the way, refusing to meet the press, hold public events, attend candidate forums, and take his opponents seriously. While his PAC flooded TV with exaggerated attack ads, Mamdani was in the streets, meeting and engaging with voters, crafting a hopeful message for an affordable New York with clear, easy to understand policy proposals. Cuomo leaned on a tired, conservative narrative, pushing fear of subways and homeless people, and painting New York City as a lawless and terrifying place. Cuomo and his countless Democratic operatives and billionaire funders failed to realize the long memory and activation of so many progressive New Yorkers, especially members of the New York City DSA and Working Families Party. Perhaps he hoped that most people would forget the details of his scandals. The hundreds of people energized by his collusion with the IDC would not, nor would feminist and health care activists furious about his abuse of women and nursing home patients. The existing mobilized and well-connected networks of anti-Cuomo activists made sure that as many New Yorkers as possible would not forget. The 'Don't Rank Cuomo' coalition used the city's ranked-choice voting system to urge voters to exclude Cuomo from their ballots. Combined with Mamdani's strategy of cross-endorsing other candidates, such as Brad Lander and Michael Blake, this amplified the anti-Cuomo message and made his opponents seem cooperative and effective. While Mamdani ran a historic campaign and is certainly a uniquely charismatic and talented candidate, the work of existing progressive and socialists activists on the ground fighting Cuomo for 14 years came together to erode the former governor's advantage. All of this led to Mamdani's success on June 24.
Kuwait Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Muslim, pro-Palestine socialist Dem sweeps NYC mayoral primary
NEW YORK: Young self-declared socialist Zohran Mamdani was on the cusp of stunning victory Wednesday in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary — pummeling his scandal-scarred establishment rival in a race seen as a fight for the future of the Democratic Party. Results were not yet final. But Mamdani — who is just 33 and would become the city's first Muslim mayor — had such a commanding lead that his biggest rival, former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, conceded defeat overnight. Mamdani's success was seen as a rebuke to Democratic centrists who backed the powerful Cuomo, as the party flails nationally in search of a way to counter Republican President Donald Trump's hard-right movement. The Ugandan-born Mamdani was behind Cuomo in polls until near the end, surging on a message of lower rents, free daycare and other populist ideas in the notoriously expensive US city. 'Tonight we made history,' he said in a victory speech to supporters. New Yorkers 'have stood up for a city they can afford'. Cuomo, a 67-year-old political veteran vying to come back from a sexual harassment scandal, told supporters: 'Tonight was not our night.' 'I called him, I congratulated him,' he said. Mamdani had taken 43 percent of the vote with 95 percent of ballots counted, according to city officials. Cuomo was at around 36 percent and appeared to have no chance to catch his rival. However, the contest is ranked-choice, with voters asked to select five candidates in order of preference. When no candidate wins 50 percent of the vote outright, election officials start the time-consuming process of eliminating the lowest-ranking candidates and retabulating. Cuomo had big money and near-universal name recognition in the city, as a former governor and son of another governor. However, he was weighed down by having quit in disgrace four years ago after multiple women accused him of sexual harassment. He was also accused of mismanaging the state's response to the COVID pandemic. Even so, Mamdani's success was stunning. The son of Indian-origin immigrants, he is backed by the Democratic Socialists of America party — the kind of niche, leftist affiliation that many Democratic leaders believe their party needs to shed. The fact that Mamdani speaks out for Palestinians and has accused the Zionist entity of 'genocide' also makes him a prime target for Trump, a fellow New Yorker. His supporters include two favorite Trump foils — fiery leftist Senator Bernie Sanders and progressive congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who both congratulated Mamdani. 'Billionaires and lobbyists poured millions against you and our public finance system. And you won,' Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X. Sanders posted: 'You took on the political, economic and media Establishment — and you beat them.' Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate, called Mamdani 'too extreme for a city already on edge'. And Texas Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican, told New Yorkers 'who are not Communists: Come to Texas!' Currently a New York state assemblyman representing the borough of Queens, Mamdani's eye-catching policy proposals include freezing rent for many New Yorkers, free bus service, and universal childcare. In a city where a three-bedroom apartment can easily cost $6,000 a month, his message struck a chord. Voter Eamon Harkin, 48, said prices were his 'number one issue'. 'What's at stake is primarily the affordability of New York,' he said. But Sheryl Stein, who works in tourism marketing, was skeptical. 'I like youth,' she said. But Mamdani having 'no experience and no proven track record to run the largest city in this country and one of the largest in the world is pretty scary.' For some voters, Mamdani represented a chance to usher in a new era for the party. 'I think it's time for somebody young, a person of color, something different,' Ignacio Tambunting, a 28-year-old actor, told a Reuters reporter outside a polling station in Manhattan after putting Mamdani atop his ballot. Another voter, Leah Johanson, said she listed Mamdani first even though she was concerned he was too liberal. But she did not rank Cuomo. 'No. God, no,' said Johanson, 39, who voted on Tuesday in Queens, where Mamdani lives. 'I'm not gonna vote for a man who is credibly accused of molesting women.' The confirmed winner will face several contenders in November, including current Mayor Eric Adams, who is a Democrat but has vowed to run again as an independent. – Agencies
