3 Key Takeaways from Zohran Mamdani’s Primary Win
What his victory says about where New York and the country are heading
On Tuesday, June 24th, 2024, Democratic Socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani secured the Democratic nomination for mayor of New York. Mamdani’s victory over an established candidate, former governor Andrew Cuomo, reveals a desire for change in New York and perhaps within the country.
But who is Zohran Mamdani, and what are some of the key takeaways of this election?
Who is Zohran Mamdani?
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Zohran Mamdani is a 33 year old Muslim-American member of the New York State Assembly who is running for Mayor of New York. Mamdani has served in the New York State Assembly since 2021 and, through that position, has championed causes related to low-income families and neighborhoods and healthcare. Mamdani is the first Ugandan, first South Asian man, and third Muslim to serve in the State Assembly.
Mamdani was originally born in Uganda and moved to New York at the age of seven. After high school and college, Mamdani became a naturalized citizen in 2018 and worked as a foreclosure prevention housing counselor, which meant that he worked with low-income families to fight eviction and help people stay in their houses, and it was this role that sparked his first run for office.
Mamdani is running for Mayor of New York on a platform of lowering the cost of living for New Yorkers. Some of his proposed policies include freezing the rent for stabilized tenants, holding owners accountable for the conditions of rented properties, and creating city-owned grocery stores that focus on affordable prices, not profit, among others.
His victory against Democratic forerunner Andrew Cuomo marks a shift in both New York and the country, but what lessons can Zohran Mamdani’s primary victory offer for both the country and New York, and what’s next for Mamdani in his quest to become New York’s next mayor?
3 Key Takeaways of the Democratic Primary
Embrace the Outsider
Zohran Mamdani started as a relatively unknown and non-establishment candidate competing against many established Democrats for his party’s nomination for New York Mayor. One of his establishment rivals was former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who resigned in disgrace in 2021, but who was considered a front-runner in this race. Mamdani’s victory over Cuomo suggests an appetite for a fresh voice who is not so deeply embedded in the establishment.
While Mamdani is running for a local office, this victory could suggest that Democrats should nominate a candidate who is less well known or at least less tied to the establishment for various state, local, and federal offices. In the past three elections, the Democrats have chosen not the outsider candidate but the one deeply embedded in the system; in 2016 they chose Hillary Clinton, a member of Obama’s cabinet; in 2020 they chose Obama’s Vice President Joe Biden as their nominee; and in 2024 they chose Biden’s Vice President Kamala Harris as their nominee.
Mamadani’s victory in New York could suggest that the party’s base favors candidates who don’t have deep establishment ties and that in order to connect with voters, the party should choose a candidate who is not deeply tied to the existing leadership in Washington.
Be Charismatic and Able to Speak Off the Cuff
Zohran Mamdani’s charisma and ability to speak off the cuff provided him with the ability to accept any and every platform that was offered to him to spread his message. From making his own short-form videos on social media to appearing on various radio shows and interviews, Mamdani cemented himself and his message in the eyes of the public, which allowed him to overturn the advantage Andrew Cuomo had in paid media.
By contrast, both Democratic nominees for 2020 and 2024, Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, were not as charismatic or able to speak off the cuff, which might have made them appear distant from viewers as opposed to Mamdani, whose messages seemed natural and not staged. A charismatic candidate allows viewers to connect with him or her and allows them to spread their message on a variety of platforms.
Additionally, this charisma and ability to speak off the cuff may make people believe in their authenticity, which might make voters more likely to trust and ultimately to vote for them and may explain why Donald Trump was a popular candidate in the first place because Trump, for all his disadvantages, is charismatic and is able to speak off the cuff and thus is able to connect with voters in a way other candidates are not.
Furthermore, both Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, two relatively long-shot Democratic candidates who succeeded in becoming President of the United States, possessed a charisma and an ability to connect with voters, which might have endeared them to the public and allowed them to seem more accessible and relatable than the stiff old guard.
Mamdani’s victory might suggest that the Democratic party should find a candidate who is charismatic and who can speak off the cuff in a way that might connect with voters and make people more interested in listening to their message.
Bold Opinions are not always a hindrance to campaigns
Throughout his primary campaign, Zohran Mamdani has not shied away from condemning Israel’s actions in Palestine as war crimes and publicly stating that he would arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if Mamdani became mayor of New York. These opinions have led to criticism from both Republicans and establishment democrats who claim that Mamdani’s remarks are anti-semitic and put him at odds with the Pro-Israel establishment.
Yet despite this, Mamdani was able to secure an impressive victory on Tuesday night over establishment candidate Andrew Cuomo in the most Jewish city in the United States. This means that Mamdani’s bold opinions didn’t hinder Mamdani’s campaign in the way that establishment Democrats like Andrew Cuomo might have thought.
This might mean that, at least in the Democratic base, bold opinions are not always a hindrance to campaigns and might actually appeal to voters who believe that the establishment is too Pro-Israel and not putting America first. Mamdani’s unflinching views and his open criticism of Israel have so far not stopped the momentum of his campaign, showing that bold and controversial opinions do not always prevent a more socialist or leftist candidate from defeating an establishment one.
While Mamadani’s primary is focused on a single city and a smaller position, the results of this primary might suggest a blueprint that Democrats could use for the 2026 midterm and 2028 presidential elections.
What’s next for Zohran Mamdani?
Zohran Mamdani is now the Democratic nominee for Mayor of New York; this means that during the general election he will face Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and independent candidates lawyer Jim Walden, former governor Andrew Cuomo (who is now running an Independent campaign on a fight-and-deliver platform), and Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams in the hopes of becoming New York’s next mayor.
The general election is set to be held on November 4th, 2025. If elected as mayor, Zohran Mamdani will be the first South Asian, Muslim, and Democratic socialist to become mayor of New York.
Do you see Zohran Mamdani as a future mayor for New York? Why or why not?
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Great coverage of these events! 💙