A 34-year old Democratic Socialist (I was a member once) who has never had a job is on the cusp of governing a city of 8,000,000.
Zohran Mamdani is the name and New York City is the game.
President Obama has called him. Twice. Offered to be a "sounding board" if, when, he wins.
Moment or Movement?
Zohran lapped the primary field. That field included the indicted incumbent Democratic mayor (since pardoned by Trump) and the disgraced former Democratic governor of New York state.
The primary had "ranked choice voting". Vote your choices 1, 2, 3...I guess that's how that works, I don't really know.
The general election includes the same major candidates except now you have to vote for just one.
All of which is to say that if it's a Moment it's a strange moment to be drawing conclusions from. Not that it has stopped anyone. Mamdani is the consensus favorite to win the normal voting and Obama called, did I mention that? Twice. All but endorsed.
So let's say it's the Mamdani Moment, at least. That is, he's going to win the mayoralty. I do think it is going to be closer between Mamdani and disgraced ex-governor Cuomo than the polls show, but Mamdani's going to win. Why on earth would Obama call him (twice)? What is this talk of a "national" Mamdani Movement?
Mamdani's youth support goes beyond New York. For many, he's now a national leader
Yes, young people from Gulfport, Mississippi, to St. Petersburg, Florida, to Ann Arbor, Michigan not only know who Zohran Mamdani is, but support him and his positions on issues.
The issues are crucial for them. Affordability, housing especially, and groceries too, are the key issues.
"When [my mom] was in her twenties, she was married, and she and my dad owned a house by this point, and I can't even afford to rent in a city in Mississippi. It's a little demoralizing."--Lea Asch, 26 years old, Gulfport, Miss.
But there is something else.
Is democracy working for them? Is either political party listening to them and speaking their concerns? Mamdani is hard left, a socialist. Political labels, Dem. Rep., Left, Right, Socialist, Fascist don't mean much to Mamdani supporters. It is sort of Left populism (but there I, a Boomer, go with labels again.). The status quo hasn't worked for Mamdani supporters. They don't want to fix it, they want to break it more first. I agree with them. I want more breakage. But Mamdani is also developing a Svengali-like hold on people from all over. Sort of "dog-whistling". If this sounds like, well, I will let Ruby Belle Booth speak to that:
"When a candidate is able to speak to the concerns of the populace and validate those concerns … I think that that has a big impact, especially when it comes to young people," said Ruby Belle Booth, who studies young voters for the nonpartisan research organization CIRCLE.
"They really feel heard and like they're being respected," she added. "I think any candidate can do that and have success. But right now it's Mamdani and maybe before that, it was Trump."
She said the quiet part out loud.
If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere?
Trump was from New York. He lapped the Republican establishment field. He broke stuff, hoo-doggie! He had and retains an unbreakable bond with his "base".
The DSA (Democratic Socialists of America; once a member) is a cadre org. You have to buy in to the whole program or you're not allowed in or are kicked out (AOC. I self-deported after the pro-Hamas, antisemitic celebration after Oct. 7.). DSA is not what I envision the "big tent" British Labour Party to be nor the various Social Democratic parties in Europe. No "big tent" for DSA. Small tent with organized, disciplined cadres only inside. They organize extremely effectively. They enabled AOC and Mamdani to win. They take winning, and governing effectively, extremely seriously.
It takes a village to run the city
The hard left in America had been a joke. Couldn't grab its ass with both hands. Undisciplined, chaotic, couldn't organize a bathroom line, never won anything. DSA maintains a board with all of their members who have won office. AOC took her time to endorse Mamdani, and when she did she said in her speech "You have no choice now but to be the best mayor in New York City history." They don't countenance failure or being a boob. President Obama and Rep. Ocasio-Cortez know that Zohran Mamdani is going to need help if, when, he moves into Gracie Mansion. They will help. They will give him as much as they can. They are invested in Mamdani's success. It's a big job. It takes a village.
It's pretty impressive that Obama is invested in Mamdani. Called him twice.
I am grateful for many things. Right now, I am extremely grateful that I am not a New York City voter, for I do not know who I would vote for, nor even if I would vote. I am a European-style socialist. AOC is my political talisman. She's a member of Congress. Soshis can be great legislators. But the Boss? A CEO? Mayor? Governor? President? A young guy who has never worked wants to be the chief executive of a city of 8 million? I don't know. Pretty impressive that Obama called, though. Twice.
