Zohran Mamdani Beats Cuomo: A Blow to the Establishment
In a stunning display, Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani has won the Democratic Primary, beating out former Gov. Andrew Cuomo
The unexpected has officially come to pass. Democratic Social Zohran Mamdani has officially won the Democratic Primary for New York Mayor. Mamdani, 33, ran on a platform of progressive, grassroots politics and on bringing prices down, especially on rent. Despite intense corporate opposition, Mr. Mamdani's grassroots and youthful campaign ultimately prevailed over the establishment, with Mr. Cuomo conceding Tuesday night. With Mr. Mamdani's victory, it is becoming increasingly clear that the establishment is no longer enough for New York voters.
Never Cuomo
As most of my readers are aware, I am not a fan of Andrew Cuomo, much less his brother, whom I have made multiple videos condemning. As a confirmed sexual harasser, Mr. Cuomo was not only unfit for public office but was also dangerous to those around him, and yet, many figures in the establishment, including the media, openly endorsed him. Earlier this month, Politico reported that over 40 percent of all the people who endorsed Mr. Cuomo in this race previously called for his resignation from the Governor's office. Two members of Congress, Representatives Ritchie Torres and Tom Suozzi, both called for Cuomo's resignation in 2021 but later publicly endorsed him for Mayor.
As I explained in my video on Mr. Cuomo's candidacy, if the Democratic Party is serious about protecting women from sexual harassment and sexual predators, it must remove every person who has ever engaged in such behavior from its ranks.
The fact that these politicians decided to endorse Mr. Cuomo despite previously noting he is a predator is an embarrassing moral failure.
Mamdani is the Candidate
While Mr. Cuomo's name recognition and financial advantage over Mr. Mamdani were beneficial to him, it is no substitute for the support of the people. With 93 percent of the vote tabulated, Mr. Mamdani currently holds roughly 43.5 percent of the vote, compared to Mr. Cuomo's 36.4 percent, a lead of 7.1 percent. While Mr. Cuomo relied heavily on his name recognition, New York voters voted for change.
Mr. Mamdani heavily emphasized the challenges coming from the cost of living, with a specific focus on rent. New York has the second-highest rent in the country, with its average rent increasing by 4.1% from 2024. Mr. Mamdani has promised to reduce the overall rent of the city through rent freezes.
While the impact of said policy is contested, the appeal of a leader directly addressing the concerns of tenants is not only palpable but badly needed in the Democratic Party. In an interview with Politico, Senator Bernie Sanders explained that:
"You cannot run a grassroots campaign unless you excite people. You cannot excite people unless you have something to say. And he had a lot to say. He said that he wants to make New York City livable, affordable for ordinary people, that the wealthiest people in New York City are going to start to have to pay their fair share in taxes so that you can stabilize the outrageously high costs of housing in New York, which, by the way, is a crisis all over this country."
Simply put, Mr. Mamdani's victory comes at a time when many New Yorkers and many Americans are frustrated with the establishment of politics. Increasingly, younger voters are frustrated with the old guard of the Democratic Party, and in some cases, they have begun pushing for primaries up and down the ballot. A paltry 21 percent of voters approve of the current Democratic Party in Congress, and only 41 percent of Democrats approve of their party's performance.
Whether the old guard likes it or not, the reality is that the old style of politics is no longer enough. Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of Donald Trump, but they also are not happy with the Democratic establishment. While a full-on rush to the left will not necessarily lead to victory, voters also want a clear vision of opposition to the Trump administration and a strong vision for a better future. Mr. Mamdani has made his vision clear, and if the party wants to benefit from that vision, the party should follow the example of Congressman Jerrold Nadler and unite behind it.
