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New York Times
7 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
The Mamdani Earthquake
Good morning. It's Thursday. Today we'll analyze Zohran Mamdani's upset in the Democratic primary and whether his progressive message will resonate beyond New York. The results are not official. Not yet. Under the city's ranked-choice voting system, the Board of Elections still has to do elimination-round tabulations. But Zohran Mamdani's all-but-certain upset reshaped the political landscape locally and perhaps nationally. How did he do it? Mamdani, a democratic socialist, ran up large vote tallies in gentrifying neighborhoods. But he also did well in brownstone-lined blocks of Brooklyn, on diverse blocks in Upper Manhattan and in neighborhoods with substantial South Asian populations in Queens. His apparent defeat of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who had led in many polls since he entered the race in March, showed why it's hard to poll before a primary. The aftermath? Cuomo told The New York Times shortly after his concession speech that he was still considering whether to run in November as an independent. He told WCBS-TV on Wednesday that before making a decision, he would take a hard look and see 'what President Trump is going to do. Who knows how he would choose to get involved.' 'It's a national election, not just a New York City election,' the Democratic strategist James Carville said. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion - Joe Rogan shuts down Bernie Sanders, defends Elon Musk
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) returned to the Joe Rogan podcast yesterday, and what an episode it was! Once upon a time, Sanders had of course been Rogan's preferred candidate. The podcasting giant gave the independent-left Democrat his endorsement in 2020 — an endorsement that many mainstream liberals treated as a drawback at the time, which seems quite insane today. In fact, some members of the liberal media wanted Sanders to reject the endorsement and distance himself from Rogan, due to Rogan's contrarian and independent-minded views on topics like the COVID pandemic, transgenderism, 'wokeness' and so on. Fast-forward to 2025, and Democrats are desperate for their own 'liberal Joe Rogan,' having now had to grapple with the fact that progressivism's knee-jerk rejection of every broadly popular figure who does not fit neatly into a box has left them friendless and at odds with the trajectory of American cultural life. So I'm not surprised that, this time around, there aren't any Democrats wagging their fingers at Bernie for going on Rogan. Could it be that they'd like to learn from him? I will say this: Sanders maintains a certain appeal. He's still quite sharp and was able to converse with Rogan deftly on a range of topics, despite his advanced age. He is so much more cognitively capable than Joe Biden was, that it's frankly embarrassing that the Democratic Party didn't go with this option in 2020. That said, he made a number of arguments which, while perfectly well articulated and reasonable-sounding, are wrong in my view. In fact, Rogan even called one of them out as Sanders was making it. This early part of the interview focused on the power of billionaires to influence public policy with their dollars — something the progressive left is obsessed with. Sanders attacked the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, which he thinks is pretty much the worst thing that ever happened to our country, and the source of all our problems. Set aside for the moment the obvious problem that Sanders is complaining about a Supreme Court decision that allows you to, well, use your free speech to criticize Bernie Sanders — which to my mind is something that should obviously be permissible in a democracy. But here's the next part, wherein Rogan reminded his viewers that it is not the case that one party receives tons of money from wealthy people, and the other does not. Both parties, and their candidates, are the recipients of huge sums of money. The reason is that the federal government has tremendous power to affect the bottom lines of wealthy people. That's why they spend so much. The feds get to decide whether to break Meta into a bunch of smaller companies, so of course Mark Zuckerberg is going to spend his money to stop that. The feds get to decide whether Amazon, the most efficient engine of meeting human need ever devised, gets hampered by costly regulation. You'd better believe Jeff Bezos is going to get involved in politics. It's true of Apple. It's true of Google. You bet it's true of Elon Musk. And it's not just wealthy individuals. Activist groups such as teachers unions also spend millions of dollars to help elect Democrats, because they think Democrats do a better job protecting their jobs, wages, and summer vacations. If you don't like how much money is spent on politics, then the best solution, in my view, is to make politics matter less. If the government had less power, it wouldn't be worth spending so much to control it. But I want to go back to the first part of Sanders's answer and remind everybody watching, once again, that this is about not just money, but about speech. Citizens United was a film company that made a documentary critical of then-candidate Hilary Clinton during her failed 2008 run for president. The Federal Election Commission fined the filmmakers for daring to air television advertisements for this film within 30 days of a primary election or 60 days from the general. Think about that: The feds were actually saying they had the power to stop filmmakers from buying ads to promote their documentaries. Before the Supreme Court, attorneys for the Federal Election Commission argued that they could do the same to a book — in fact, that they could stop you from publishing a book about a candidate, if it was too close to the election. That's what convinced Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy, the Court's swing voter at the time, that the law had to be struck down. And don't take my word for it — here was Kennedy discussing the case years later. I appreciate why political figures, members of Congress and perhaps Sanders himself wouldn't want you to be able to publish a critical documentary, or a film, or to advertise it on television. But it should be obvious to Rogan and his viewers, who correctly prize free speech, that such a law would have, and did, violate their First Amendment rights. If we want to limit how much say wealthy people have over government policy, we have to set limits on government policy, not on wealthy people — because limits on people apply to my free speech rights, and to your free speech rights, too. Robbie Soave is co-host of The Hill's commentary show 'Rising' and a senior editor for Reason Magazine. This column is an edited transcription of his daily commentary. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
South China Morning Post
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Meet Rama Duwaji, New York's next first lady? The artist has worked with Cartier, Apple and Spotify, and met her husband Zohran Mamdani on Hinge – but she's stayed out of the limelight
Syrian illustrator and animator Rama Duwaji may be gearing up to take her seat as the next first lady of New York after her husband, Zohran Mamdani, declared victory in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary Tuesday night after Andrew Cuomo conceded the race in a stunning upset. The young, progressive upstart had built a substantial lead over the more experienced but scandal-scarred former governor. Rama Duwaji and Zohran Mamdani got married in New York earlier this year. Photo: @zohrankmamdani/Instagram Though the race's ultimate outcome will still be decided by a ranked choice count, Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist who was virtually unknown outside political circles a year ago, was in a commanding position. In a speech to supporters, Mamdani said, 'Tonight, we made history. I will be your Democratic nominee for the mayor of New York City.' Advertisement Rama Duwaji is an illustrator and animator. Photo: @ramaduwaji/Instagram So who is Zohran Mamdani's wife, Rama Duwaji? Here's everything you need to know. She's an artist Rama Duwaji graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University and New York's School of Visual Arts. Photo: @ramaduwaji/Instagram Duwaji graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in communication design. She also has a master's degree in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Duwaji uses portraits and movement in her art to examine 'the nuances of sisterhood and communal experiences', according to her website. She has worked with notable clients including The New Yorker, The Washington Post, BBC, Apple, Spotify, Vice and the Tate Modern. She has also created designs for brands like Cartier. Illustration aside, Duwaji also dabbles in pottery and ceramics. She met Zohran Mamdani on Hinge
CNN
25-06-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Takeaways from New York City's mayoral primary: Mamdani triggers a political earthquake – and Republicans rejoice too
Zohran Mamdani delivered a political earthquake Tuesday in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary, riding progressive demands for change in a city facing an affordability crisis to the brink of a stunning victory. Democratic voters rejected a scandal-plagued icon of the party's past, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Instead, they backed a 33-year-old democratic socialist who energized young voters and progressives with a campaign that could come to represent the first draft of a new playbook. 'I will fight for a city that works for you, that is affordable for you, that is safe for you,' Mamdani said in his celebratory speech just after midnight. 'We can be free and we can be fed. We can demand what we deserve,' he said. Mamdani's viral, go-anywhere, talk-to-anyone style of campaigning could send shockwaves through the Democratic Party nationally as its leaders and incumbents face calls from frustrated voters for authenticity and aggressiveness. Republicans, meanwhile, moved immediately to elevate Mamdani, seeing an opportunity to campaign against ideas they see as unpopular with swing voters nationally. The formal outcome won't be known until at least July 1, when New York City releases the initial ranked-choice results. But Mamdani held a clear lead Tuesday night, and Cuomo told supporters he had called Mamdani and conceded the primary. 'Tonight is his night. He deserved it. He won,' Cuomo said. Mamdani's upstart campaign had a lot to overcome — Cuomo's universal name recognition, massive financial backing, endorsements from party leaders and unions — and he acted like it. Some of his Democratic rivals portrayed his positions as pie-in-the-sky and impossible to pay for. Mamdani, though, sold his ideas as making life in the city easier to afford, building his campaign around an issue that ranks among the biggest reasons Democrats lost in the 2024 election. He sat for interviews with people that disagreed with him. He engaged in cross-endorsements with rivals, encouraging supporters to rank them highly as well on their ranked-choice ballots. He campaigned aggressively, including walking the length of Manhattan on Friday. 'New Yorkers deserve a Mayor they can see, hear, even yell at. The city is in the streets,' Mamdani said on X. Dan Pfeiffer, a former top aide to President Barack Obama, said on X that Democrats 'have a lot to learn' from Mamdani. 'What's happening in NYC is a blaringly loud message to those in the Dem establishment who still cling to old politics, recite focus-grouped talking points, and are too afraid to say what needs to be said,' he said. Republicans were also thrilled with Mamdani's performance. The House GOP's campaign arm, the National Republican Congressional Committee, issued a press release declaring Mamdani 'the new face' of the Democratic Party. 'Every vulnerable House Democrat will own him, and every Democrat running in a primary will fear him,' NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella said. Mamdani faced attacks from pro-Cuomo forces in the primary over what his opponents described as antisemitic comments, flagging Mamdani's sharp criticism of Israel and his defense of the phrase 'globalize the intifada.' He also ran on progressive positions — including freezing rents, offering free public transit, launching city-run grocery stores and more — that Republicans are certain to use to portray Democrats as extreme, much like they have with previous progressive proposals like the 'Green New Deal.' Those attacks are unlikely to help the GOP in the mayoral race in New York City, where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans almost by about a six-to-one margin. But New York is home to a number of competitive House seats where the GOP could seek to put Democratic nominees on the defensive over Mamdani's positions. It's too soon to sort through everything Mamdani's performance means for the Democratic Party. But it did offer a glimpse at where the party is on some key issues and who within it holds sway with voters. Mamdani, who would become the city's first Muslim mayor if he wins in November, was a vocal critic of Israel's war in Gaza and didn't back down despite being criticized as antisemitic, a charge he repeatedly denied. He defended his views in an interview with CBS' Stephen Colbert in which he also acknowledged the fears Jewish people have faced since Hamas' October 7, 2023, terrorist attack in Israel. 'There's no room for violence in this city, in this country, in this world. And what I have found also, for many New Yorkers, is an ability to navigate disagreement,' he told Colbert. He also demonstrated the influence of progressive New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who endorsed Mamdani. Other New York Democratic leaders, including Gov. Kathy Hochul and its two senators, Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer, remained publicly neutral. The results similarly laid bare the ineffectiveness of Cuomo's effort — one backed by establishment Democratic forces that blanketed television airwaves but couldn't match the organic groundswell of a state assemblyman who started the race with little public profile. 'Billionaires and lobbyists poured millions against you and our public finance system,' Ocasio-Cortez said of Mamdani on X. 'And you won.' Cuomo had wanted a second act. The 67-year-old scion of one of New York's most prominent political families was forced out of the governor's office in 2021 amid a cloud of scandal — faced with allegations of sexual harassment that he denied and a report that his administration had covered up nursing home deaths during the coronavirus pandemic. The governor and the state's two senators stayed on the sidelines. But Cuomo's campaign was backed by many prominent New York Democrats and groups, including unions and elected officials who had criticized him four years ago but — seeing his lead in the polls — issued devil-we-know statements this year endorsing him. Though ranked-choice ballots need to be counted next week, Cuomo acknowledged the reality he faced on stage Tuesday, telling supporters he had called and congratulated Mamdani. 'Tonight was Assemblyman Mamdani's night, and he put together a great campaign. And he touched young people, and inspired them, and moved them, and got them to come out and vote. And he really ran a highly impactful campaign. I called him, I congratulated him. I applaud him sincerely for his effort, and let's give him a round of applause and thank him for his campaign,' Cuomo said. His former political rivals, meanwhile, gloated over Cuomo's apparent failure. 'Zohran ran a positive campaign talking about affordability. Cuomo ran a very negative, fear-based campaign. That just made a huge difference,' former Mayor Bill de Blasio said on CNN. In overwhelmingly Democratic New York City, a victorious Mamdani would ordinarily become the clear front-runner in November's general election. But he instead faces a competitive race with much different contours. First-term Mayor Eric Adams, who was elected as a Democrat four years ago, is seeking reelection as an independent. Adams' break from the party came as he faced backlash after President Donald Trump's Justice Department dropped its corruption charges against Adams, and Adams has cooperated with federal authorities to enforce Trump's mass deportation efforts. 'What NYC deserves is a mayor who's proud to run on his record – not one who ran from his record, or one who has no record,' Adams posted on X Tuesday night. 'We deserve a mayor who will keep driving down crime, support our police, fight antisemitism, and stand up for working-class New Yorkers.' Republican Curtis Silwa was unopposed in the primary and will be the GOP nominee. And neither Cuomo nor Mamdani had ruled out the possibility of running in November on another party's ballot line if they lost the Democratic contest — Cuomo as the nominee of the newly created Fight and Deliver Party, or Mamdani as the nominee of the Working Families Party.
Forbes
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
The Global Gen-Z Gender Divide And Brand Responsibility
The Global Gen-Z Gender Divide The share of women in the U.S. workforce increased from 20% in 1920 to nearly 50% in 1970. Women's participation in the labor market boosted productivity, economic growth and consumer spending. Women now control or influence 85% of consumer spending. In general, women's rights have improved, but we now face a new social challenge: the growing gender divide between young men and women. The splinter is causing political polarization, audience fragmentation and brand atomization. We study generations to understand how shared formative events—political, economic, technological, legal and environmental—shape our values and how we see things. Historically, people born within the same generation tend to have more unified views on social issues, but Gen-Z seems to be the exception. Young men and young women are drifting further apart. Gen-Z is two generations rolled into one. But why are we seeing a growing gender divide? What can brands do about it? The Ideological Divide The gender divide is most noticeable in voting patterns. Young men are becoming more conservative and young women are becoming more progressive. In the U.S., Donald Trump won 56% of the votes from young men compared to 39% from young women. In Germany, the far-right AfD party secured 25% of young men's votes compared to 17% of young women. In South Korea, young women propelled the liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung to victory. There is one consistent trend: Gen Z is rejecting establishment political parties because they have failed them. However, the rejection manifests differently amongst young men and women. Gen-Z men and women have the widest political gender gap compared to older generations. It would be easy to dismiss politics as unrelated to marketing, but ideology is the invisible force that shapes our values and actions, including our choice of brands and response to advertising. The Attainment Gap It would be remiss to discuss the Gen-Z gender divide without acknowledging the progress women have made in various fields despite systemic barriers. Women continue to outpace men in higher education. In the U.K. and several U.S. cities, young women are out-earning young men. Young women are less likely to feel financially and socially dependent on men than previous generations. In contrast, young men feel lost and confused about their place in modern society. The decline of the manufacturing industry, coupled with women's progress in education and work, has warped men's role as producers and providers. The traditional markers of manhood, like being the breadwinner and having a romantic partner, are out of reach for many young men. Much has been made of the rise of incel culture (involuntarily celibate) but there's a much broader and moderate feeling of alienation amongst young boys. This sentiment is compounded by men's struggle to maintain relationships and emotional connections. For some young men, social pressures, unrealistic expectations and lack of emotional support create the illusion of a zero-sum game, where opportunities for young women and other groups come at the expense of their future. Digital Segregation The gender divide isn't only economic and political, but social. Young men and women no longer occupy the same spaces or experience the same culture. The change is mainly due to young people spending more time online and less time in the physical world. In 2000, less than 5% of couples met online. In 2024, more than 60% of couples met their partner online. In developed countries, there are fewer third spaces where young men and women can interact. Young men and women are spending less time in each other's company. Online, social media algorithms serve men and women different content, generating two different versions of reality. Exacerbating the divergence in personal taste, cultural references and shared language between Gen-Z men and women. Media consumption vastly differs between Gen-Z men and women. For example, 80% of The Joe Rogan Experience listeners are men. Conversely, 70% of Call Her Daddy listers are women. On platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit, men outnumber women two to one. At the same time, when exploring the global gender divide, it's important to remember that a growing number of young people are rejecting gender norms. Nearly 7% of Gen-Z identify as non-binary and 30% as LGBTQ+. Brand Responsibility Brands are already operating in a highly charged political environment. Marketing leaders are walking a tightrope between retaining existing consumers and attracting new consumers. Suddenly, brands need to navigate ideological differences within generations. Bridging the gap between young men and women is the only way to maximize your brand reach. Not taking action means missing out on half the total addressable market. Global brands have the power and responsibility to showcase more positive role models for young men. They can and should bring young men and women together to form shared, real-world experiences again. Doing so requires divestment from media platforms that segregate young men and women: feeding them two different versions of reality. How can we create a shared future when we're experiencing different realities?
