Discontent with the status quo and the political establishment culminated in a perfect storm in New York City when Zohran Mamdani beat billionaire-backed Andrew Cuomo to become mayor. The win shows how Democrats might beat Trumpism.
The myths that billionaires earn, invent, or give their way to virtue don’t survive scrutiny. Billionaire wealth isn’t built on genius — it rests on public investment and ends with the power to shape law, labor, and markets.
Pundits have emphasized Zohran Mamdani’s videos and charisma and Andrew Cuomo’s weaknesses in Mamdani’s victory. But easily the most important factor in that victory is the movement that the Democratic Socialists of America have built in New York City.
Billionaire Bill Ackman and his rich friends want someone, anyone, to bring down Zohran Mamdani. Their pitch: take our money, it won’t be much time and energy, and maybe you’ll get famous enough to use the campaign as a stepping stone to higher office.
Zohran Mamdani’s campaign represented a struggle for basic dignity and an affirmation of democratic potential. It was ceaselessly denounced by political and media elites from across the spectrum as something sinister, violent, and dangerous.
Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialists of America–backed candidate for New York’s state assembly, has officially won his race. His campaign shows us what a serious socialist electoral bid looks like: class-conscious politics, an uncompromising program, and deep face-to-face organizing. There should be many more like it.
Zohran Mamdani’s potential election as New York City mayor could be transformational for the city’s underfunded public K–12 schools and higher education system.
In his campaign for NYC mayor, Zohran Mamdani has proposed making city buses fare-free. Critics of the proposal say this would deprive buses of needed funds, but their argument is based on a mistaken understanding of government revenue.
Andrew Cuomo is on his way out. Socialist New York assemblyman Zohran Mamdani talks about Cuomo’s history of bullying and blocking progressive bills, the role of the Democratic Socialists of America in Cuomo’s ouster, and new opportunities for left policy in New York.
The Democrats have failed to mount a serious response to Donald Trump’s authoritarianism. Their fecklessness has left the door open for democratic socialists like Zohran Mamdani to position themselves as the real opposition to Trump.
Zohran Mamdani is a longtime member of New York City Democratic Socialists of America, and the organization played a key role in his victory. We spoke to NYC DSA’s cochairs about how it happened.
It’s clear that Donald Trump will aim to make governance as difficult as possible for Zohran Mamdani’s potential New York City mayoralty. But Mamdani has a range of options available to counter the president’s attacks.
Zohran Mamdani’s historic mayoral victory marks a new chapter for democratic socialism in America. Like Bernie Sanders before him, he’s shown that relentless focus on a unifying message of economic justice can win against establishment sabotage.
Zohran Mamdani’s astounding triumph shows the power of bread-and-butter economics and the bankruptcy of the Democratic establishment. But how many of its lessons can be applied nationally?
For Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialists of America–backed candidate for the New York State Assembly, organizing victims of the foreclosure crisis and supporting threatened immigrants are part of the same fight: the struggle for the right to a home.
New York City socialists have to figure out how to scale up quickly with a potential Zohran Mamdani mayoralty on the horizon.
Centrists have been declaring the socialist movement dead for years in spite of the victories it has racked up. But Zohran Mamdani’s win makes its rise undeniable.
Columbia and New York University are two of NYC’s biggest landowners, but they pay almost nothing in property taxes. Socialist state legislator Zohran Mamdani has proposed a bill to change that — and put the funds toward the city’s underfunded public colleges.
Electing Zohran Mamdani is just the beginning. To actually win his agenda against billionaire opposition, we need to build popular power — permanent grassroots organizations that can mobilize tens of thousands to have his back when the fight gets real.
Socialist legislator Zohran Mamdani is running for New York City mayor against a corrupt, unpopular mayor. Morris Hillquit did the same thing a century ago.