A little over a year ago, I organized a meeting in New York City between a visiting member of Congress and a handful of local activists from across the Left. Among those present was New York Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani.

Mamdani wasn’t the most prominent person in the room, and far from the most senior elected official. But immediately, it was clear that he wasn’t just another earnest progressive in a room full of them. He had something else — something difficult to describe without sounding like a campaign ad. Charisma. A fluid and natural ease with language. An ability to communicate about the issues that morally compelled him. It was obvious that Mamdani wasn’t just an ordinary organizer turned legislator. He was a natural politician, in the best sense of the word.

As Mamdani mounts a surging campaign for New York City mayor, his bid is fast becoming a case study in what the next wave of the American left should aim to replicate, while also illustrating some of the dangers we face in our efforts to build a mass base for our politics.