Zohran Mamdani has won the race for New York City mayor, according to Decision Desk HQ, ushering in a new era of progressive politics in the city and reigniting the debate over the Democratic Party’s future.
Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist, is poised to become the first millennial and first Muslim to lead New York City, after a campaign that pulled off one of the most stunning political upsets in recent memory. He defeated former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who mounted a long-shot independent bid after losing to Mamdani in the Democratic primary, and Republican Curtis Sliwa in his bid to succeed Mayor Eric Adams.
Mamdani focused heavily on affordability, pledging to freeze rent, establish city-owned grocery stores and make buses free for riders. He quickly became a progressive icon as well as a polarizing figure within the party over his positions, so much so that it divided prominent New York Democratic leadership over whether to endorse him.
It is “crazy,” literally. Not being able to distinguish between a capitalist corporate shill like Harris and a literal madman is incredibly dangerous.
There have been so many dangerous reversals under this madman that would have never happened if Harris had won. The destruction of the CDC, environmental protections, radically defunding science and the humanities, ICE kidnapping and disappearing people, and literally tearing down the White House (a metaphor.)
If the prospect of that madman in the White House didn’t strike terror in your heart, there’s something wrong with you.
It’s certainly better to give people something to vote for, not against. But relinquishing self-preservation just because you don’t like what’s on the menu is indeed “crazy.“