Zohran Mamdani, the state lawmaker whose progressive platform and campaign trail charisma galvanized younger voters, beat the pants off establishment choice and sex pest Andrew M. Cuomo in the Democratic primary for NYC mayor last night. Via the New York Times:
Mr. Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist from Queens, tapped into a current of anxiety around New York City’s growing affordability crisis. His joyful campaign brought new voters into the fold who rejected the scandal-scarred Mr. Cuomo’s ominous characterizations of the city and embraced an economic platform that included everything from free bus service and child care to publicly owned grocery stores.
The outcome was not official, and even assuming Mr. Mamdani gains the nomination, he faces an unusually competitive general election in November.
Still, Mr. Mamdani declared victory at a rally early Wednesday in Queens, pledging to be a “mayor for every New Yorker” and framing his win as part of a movement powered by volunteers.
“Tonight we made history,” he said. “In the words of Nelson Mandela, it always seems impossible until it is done. My friends, we have done it.”
The Democratic establishment came together to stop him, and it didn’t work. Democrats should look out, change is coming.