The Zohran era begins

On November 4, New York City voters delivered a resounding YES vote to elect Zohran Mamdani as mayor of the largest US city. The final results (yet to be certified) gave Mamdani 50.4% of the vote to Andrew Cuomo’s 41.6% and 7.1% for Republican Curtis Sliwa.

To a great extent, the election was over after Mamdani smashed the Democratic Party establishment by trouncing disgraced New York ex-Gov. Cuomo in the June 24 primary: Mamdani 56% to Cuomo 43%.

Mamdani’s primary campaign benefited from “Ranked Choice Voting,” which enables candidates to endorse one another in a coalition to eliminate a candidate perceived as a danger to their shared values. In the June primary, five candidates, led by Mamdani, united to defeat the corrupt Cuomo. In particular, the cross endorsement of Mamdani by NYC Comptroller Brad Lander, who is prominent in the Jewish community, helped to deflect attacks accusing Mamdani of anti-Semitism.

The 34-year-old Mamdani projected confidence, discipline, and a sense of humor. When he called for a rent freeze in January, he welcomed the New Year on a Coney Island beach by plunging into the freezing ocean. Mamdani was fully clothed in his signature blue suit and tie! Videos of this stunt went viral. Since then, he has produced hundreds of short, punchy social media posts throughout the primary and final election push.

The most compelling aspect of Mamdani’s campaign has been his platform’s bold specificity. Unlike most candidates who talk in platitudes about values, integrity, and what they are against. Mamdani has put forward very specific policy goals: Increase the Minimum Wage to $30 by 2030, Freeze the rents, no cost childcare, free buses, city owned grocery stores.

Make the Rich Pay!: Mamdani’s platform has been attacked by the elites as fiscally impossible. He has proposed paying for the increased costs of services by raising the corporate tax rate, and levying a 2% tax on the wealthiest 1% of New Yorkers; those earning above $1 million per year annually.

While Mamdani’s proposals clearly resonated with New York voters, winning elections takes more than a specific program: It requires a strong organization and cadres out in the field knocking on doors. In Mamdani’s case, he had 45,000 volunteers in the primary, with grassroots enthusiasm expanding for the final election to 87,000 volunteers. It’s the largest grassroots campaign in New York City’s history. At the core of Mamdani’s support are members of the New York’s Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) chapter. Mamdani has been an active member of the chapter and won his election to the New York Assembly with support from the group.

The labor movement with a few exceptions played it safe in the June primary and supported the traditional Democrat, Cuomo. But Mamdani’s smashing victory caused a quick pivot among NYC’s most powerful labor organizations – Teachers, municipal employees, Teamsters, and service workers. Mamdani’s campaign now lists 22 union endorsements.

As Mamdani’s election began to appear very tenable, the attacks magnified. President Donald Trump and the billionaires have been running a full range of attack ads accusing Mamdani of anti-Semitism for his unflagging support for Gaza and bashing him as naïve and inexperienced because of his populist and “unreasonable socialist” program.

Excerpted: ‘MAMDANI WINS!!!–Now the Hard Work Begins’.

Courtesy: Commondreams.org