Zohran Mamdani has caused a political earthquake in the primaries of the New York Democratic Party this week, making progressive demands for changes in a city facing an accessibility crisis close to an impressive victory.
Democratic voters have rejected a party icon, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is plagued by scandals.
Instead, they supported a 33 -year -old socialist who energized young voters and progressives with a campaign that can represent the first outline of a new strategy in the acronym.
“I will fight for a city that works for you, that is accessible to you, that is safe for you,” said Mamdani in his celebration speech shortly after midnight.
“We can be free and feed. We can demand what we deserve,” he said.
Mamdani’s viral campaign style can revolutionize the Democratic Party at the national level, as its leaders and holders face demands from voters frustrated by authenticity and aggressiveness.
Republicans, in turn, acted quickly to promote Mamdani, seeing an opportunity to campaign against ideas that consider undecided voters across the country.
The official result will only be known at least on July 1st, when New York City discloses the initial results of its voting system.
However, Mamdani had a clear advantage on Tuesday night (24), and Cuomo informed his supporters who had called Mamdani and
“Tonight is his night. He deserved it. He won,” admitted Cuomo.
Writing a new manual
Mamdani’s campaign had to overcome several obstacles: Cuomo, a universally recognized name, had enormous financial support and support from party leaders and unions.
Moreover, some of the socialist’s democratic rivals classified his positions as dreams and claimed that his proposals were impossible to fund.
Mamdani, however, stated that his ideas would make life easier in the city, building his campaign around an issue that is among the main reasons why Democrats lost the 2024 election.
He gave interviews to people who disagreed with him. He exchanged support with his rivals, encouraging his supporters to also give them a high preference in their banknotes. He campaigned aggressively, including a walk through Manhattan.
“New Yorkers deserve a mayor who can see, listen and even scream. The city is on the streets,” Mamdani said at X.
Dan Pfeiffer, former senior advisor to President Barack Obama, pointed out in X that Democrats “have a lot to learn” from Mamdani.
“What is happening in New York is a very clear message for those in establishment Democrat who still cling to old policies, recite points of discussion of focal groups and are very afraid to say what needs to be said, ”he said.
Republican party drives “new face” to the Democratic Party
Interestingly, Republicans were also enthusiastic about Mamdani’s performance.
The Republican National Committee of Congress, a campaign arm of the Republican Party in the House of Representatives, issued a press release declaring Mamdani “the new face” of the Democratic Party.
“Every vulnerable democrat of the House will recognize him, and every democrat who competes in a primary will fear him,” said NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella.
Mamdani faced attacks from Cuomo supporters in primaries for what his opponents described as anti -Semitic comments, due to the harsh criticism of Israel and his defense of the phrase “Globalize the Intifada.”
Including rent freezing, free public transport, supermarkets managed by the city and more, points that Republicans will surely use to criticize the Democrats, as they have made with previous progressive proposals such as New Deal Verde.
Such attacks, however, will hardly benefit the Republican Party in the New York City Hall, where the Democrats registered to vote overcome Republicans for a margin of almost six to one.
However, New York has several chairs played in the House of Representatives, where the Republican Party could try to put Democratic candidates on the defensive in the face of Mamdani’s positions.
Apoios e críticas a zohran mamdani
It is too early to analyze all the implications of Zohran Mamdani’s performance on the Democratic Party. But he offered a glimpse of the party’s position in some key issues and who, within it, influences voters.
Mamdani, who would become the first Muslim mayor of the city if he won in November, has been a fierce critic of the Israeli war in Gaza and has not retreated on this, despite the criticism of Anti -Semitic, an accusation he repeatedly denied.
He defended his opinions in an interview with CBS Stephen Colbert, in which he also recognized the fears that the Jewish people have faced since the terrorist attack of Hamas to Israel on October 7, 2023.
“There is no room for violence in this city, in this country, in this world. And what I have discovered in many New York is the ability to deal with disagreements,” said Colbert.
It also demonstrated the influence of New York Progressive Deputy Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who supported Mamdani. Other New York Democratic Leaders, such as Governor Kathy Hochul and his two senators, Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer, remained publicly neutral.
The results also highlighted the ineffectiveness of Cuomo’s campaign, supported by forces from the establishment Democrat that flooded the television but failed to match the organic rise of a state deputy who began the dispute with little public visibility.
“Billionaires and lobbyists spent millions against you and our public finance system and you won,” Ocasio-Cortez commented on Mamdani at X.
Humiliation of former Governor Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Cuomo wanted a second chance.
The 67 -year -old politician, who comes from one of New York’s most prominent political families, amid a scandal, which he denied and a report that his government had covered nursing nursingities during the coronavirus pandemic.
The governor and the two senators of the state remained on the sidelines. However, Cuomo’s campaign has been supported by many democrats and prominent New York groups.
This included unions and elected authorities that criticized him four years ago, but who, when they saw their leadership in the polls, issued unusual statements this year supporting him.
Although the counting of the votes in order of preference should be held next week, Cuomo recognized the reality he faced on Tuesday and told the supporters that he had connected and congratulated Mamdani.
“Tonight was the night of Deputy Mamdani. He organized a great campaign. He touched the young people, inspired them and encouraged them to vote. And he really led a very impactful campaign. I called and congratulated him.
Meanwhile, his former political rivals celebrated Cuomo’s apparent failure.
“Mamdani has made a positive campaign talking about accessibility. Cuomo has made a very negative campaign based on fear. This made a big difference,” former mayor Bill from Blasio told CNN.
Democratic Party victory in New York is not guaranteed
In New York, predominantly Democratic, a Mamdani victory in primaries would usually make him a favorite in the general elections of November. However, he faces a competitive dispute with very different characteristics.
Mayor Eric Adams, who has been in his first term after being elected Democratic Party four years ago,
Adams’s breakdown with the party occurred after he faced a negative reaction after President Donald Trump’s court department removed corruption charges against him.
Adams cooperated with the federal authorities in the execution of Trump’s mass deportation campaign.
“What New York deserves is a mayor who is proud of his history, not one who has applied for presidency based on him, or without history,” Adams published on Tuesday night.
“We deserve a mayor who continues to reduce crime, support our police, combat anti-Semitism and defend the New York working class,” he added.
The Republican Curtis Sliwa had no opposition in the primaries and will be the republican candidate.
Neither Cuomo nor Mamdani ruled out the possibility of running in November on the plate of another party if they lost the Democratic race (Cuomo as a candidate for the newly formed party to fight and deliver, or Mamdani as candidate for the working families party).
