Zohran Mamdani’s upset victory in New York’s mayoral primary has sent shockwaves through the Democratic Party’s old guard, as Axios reports. The 33-year-old democratic socialist clinched the Democratic Party nomination for mayor on Tuesday, exposing a chasm between the party’s establishment and its restless base. His win is a wake-up call for Democrats clinging to outdated strategies.
Mamdani, a State Assembly member, rode a wave of voter frustration with affordability issues to defeat former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the establishment’s handpicked candidate. Young progressives see his victory as a blueprint for toppling entrenched power nationwide, while Democrat Party leaders fret over the party’s national image. Republicans, including President Trump, gleefully pounced, slamming Mamdani’s past calls to defund police and his pro-Palestinian stance.
The establishment’s meltdown was swift and predictable. Rep. Laura Gillen called Mamdani the “absolute wrong choice for New York,” a sentiment echoed by Rep. Tom Suozzi’s “serious concerns.” These knee-jerk reactions reveal a party more comfortable scolding voters than listening to them.
Mamdani’s history of inflammatory rhetoric, like his 2020 X post labeling the NYPD “racist” and a “threat to public safety,” fueled critics’ outrage. He nuanced his defund-the-police stance during the campaign, but the baggage remains a lightning rod. Republicans wasted no time painting him as a radical unfit for City Hall.
His comments on Israel, including refusing to affirm its right to exist as a Jewish state, alienated some Jewish voters. Mamdani’s October 2023 criticism of Israel’s Gaza counterattacks, which omitted mention of Hamas, drew accusations of a “disturbing pattern” from Gillen. Yet, younger voters, increasingly sympathetic to Palestinians, propelled him forward.
Democratic Party heavyweights like Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries offered tepid congratulations but stopped short of endorsing Mamdani. Reps. Pat Ryan, Josh Riley, and Ritchie Torres dodged questions about his win, while Rep. Dan Goldman curtly said, “Not right now.” This silence speaks volumes about the party’s disarray.
The Democratic Party establishment’s obsession with Cuomo, a flawed candidate with significant baggage, handed Mamdani his victory. Lis Smith, a seasoned operative, nailed it: “If you don’t want to lose to a socialist, don’t run a fatally flawed candidate.” The party’s failure to adapt to voters’ demands for bold solutions is its own undoing.
Mamdani’s platform, centered on affordability, struck a chord beyond the activist fringe, as election returns showed. State Assemblyman Robert Carroll credited Mamdani’s focus on rent freezes, better city services, and universal childcare. Voters rewarded his clarity over Cuomo’s cautious platitudes.
Democratic donors, who funneled millions into a pro-Cuomo Super PAC, are now scheming to back independent runs by Cuomo or Mayor Eric Adams in November 2025. This desperate pivot reeks of entitlement, as if voters’ choices can be overridden with cash. Julian Mulvey, a strategist, predicted their big-spending tactics would “fail colossally.”
Mamdani’s win, backed by progressive titans like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, signals a growing insurgency within the Democratic Party. Young progressives believe his approach could inspire victories beyond New York, challenging the party’s centrist dogma. The establishment’s panic only fuels their resolve.
Democratic Party luminaries like former President Clinton, Michael Bloomberg, and Rep. Jim Clyburn bet on Cuomo, only to watch their influence crumble. A New York City strategist likened their effort to “Pickett’s Charge,” a doomed Confederate assault. The old guard’s hubris has left them scrambling.
Mamdani’s rise exposes a deeper truth: voters are fed up with business-as-usual politics. His ability to define the campaign around affordability, as Carroll noted, outshone the establishment’s tired attacks. Democrats ignore this shift at their peril.
While Mamdani denounces antisemitism, skeptics like Gillen remain unconvinced, pointing to his Gaza comments. His refusal to engage on Israel’s existential questions risks alienating key voter blocs in a diverse city. The party’s inability to bridge these divides weakens its November prospects.
Most Democrat lawmakers have abandoned defund-the-police rhetoric, favoring reforms instead, but Mamdani’s past stances haunt him. His nuanced campaign messaging failed to fully erase doubts about his radical roots. Republicans will exploit this relentlessly.
Mamdani’s victory is a symptom of a Democratic Party at war with itself. The establishment’s refusal to introspect, as Smith warned, ensures more losses to candidates like Mamdani. Unless Democrats rethink their approach, they’ll keep handing radicals the keys to City Hall.
