Emergency Edition: 11 takeaways from Mamdani’s win
It was all about the campaign.
Zohran Mamdani defeated a crowded field of mayoral candidates in New York City’s Democratic primary, including former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was seen as his toughest opponent and endorsed by establishment Democrats.
There’s a lot we can learn from Mamdani’s campaign, which paired skilled knowledge of and appreciation for the social media landscape with smart on-the-ground tactics across NYC. The lesson here is much more about the campaign than the politics.
Here’s what you need to know about Zohran Mamdani and young voters.
When voters tell you they’re looking for generational change, believe them. If we learned anything from the pre-Kamala Harris 2024 election days, it’s that young people do not want to recycle old candidates (especially ones who were muddled with controversy). They’re looking for new faces with new ideas.
Mamdani is a breath of fresh air for a group of voters deeply disillusioned with the status quo. He presented himself as the complete opposite of Cuomo, who symbolizes everything young people dislike about the Democratic party.
Mamdani delivered a digital masterclass. He showed up everywhere, with everyone, with a smile on his face, and excitement to be there. And his social channels/graphics were fantastic. That all matters! For some voters, it’s all they’ll see.
Mamdani ran on a simple idea that many young people agree with: “New York is too expensive.” He promised to address key components of the affordability crisis: cost of living, price of rent, child care, transportation, etc. Yes, he had other policies. But for many voters, that didn’t matter. They heard he would bring down prices, and that was enough.
But the support for Mamdani wasn’t as enthusiastic as social media might make you believe. I can’t tell you how many times I heard, “So I either have to vote for a socialist or someone who stepped down after sexual harassment accusations?”
In the eyes of many young NYC voters, the options weren’t great. As one young voter told me this AM: “They’re making it so hard to be a democrat right now.” Even within New York City’s democratic primary voter base, which is a ~very online crowd~ to say the least, there was frustration.
Then, of course, there is the issue of antisemitism and Mamdani’s past rhetoric, which left many voters deeply dismayed. Some voters were able to overlook that and vote for him anyway, others were not. I’ve written extensively about what the aftermath of October 7th has meant for young Jews, including here in New York City. Many young people (and not just young Jews) didn’t rank Mamdani because he hadn’t signed measures memorializing the Holocaust or his stance on Israel and position on calls to “globalize the intifada.” There were also many young Jews and non-Jews alike who saw past that and proudly voted for him. At this critical juncture in the Middle East and amid rising antisemitism in the U.S., the politics of antisemitism and anti-Zionism will continue to shape our political discourse. But make no mistake about it, young people have nuanced views on the issue.
The takeaways:
a) Next-gen candidates who buck the status quo have appeal.
b) Address young people’s economic anxiety before offering bold ideas for solutions.
c) Nothing is off limits. Be willing to go everywhere, talk to everyone & experiment.
There will be a lot of analysis today and discussion about what Dems should learn from this election to inform 2026 and 2028. But Dems should be careful to not take a singular lesson here. Along those lines…
Not all young people are looking for progressive policies. To assume they are would be a big mistake. The learning here is more about the campaign and less about the politics. These lessons can be replicated for more moderate, even Republican candidates. The New York Democratic primary voter base is a unique mix of individuals, one that likely leans further to the left than the rest of the country. To top that off, with a closed primary system, no independents were able to vote this month. There are certainly lessons to learn and replicate here, but the young voters who cast a ballot in this primary do not reflect the average young voter in the U.S.
Democrats should learn how to run a good campaign like Mamdani’s, but they shouldn’t assume that everyone (especially young people) want socialist candidates from here on out.
I would like to add to my earlier comment:; referring to items 4 and 5 of the takeaway list: Bernie Sanders addressed exactly the biggest concerns of young New Yorkers: life has become too expensive in most cities in the US. It is necessary to address the: "affordability crisis: cost of living, price of rent, child care, transportation, etc.". That is exactly what Bernie Sanders did. He called it "Socialism" instead of calling it "socially oriented thought"---
What we can take away from this campaign is especially that we have to differentiate between being a "Socialist" and thinking about the social realm. There is a BIG difference between being a Socialist and being social. There is also a BIG difference between being a Socialist and being a Social Democrat. Europeans have known that for a long time. It's about time Americans learn that difference also. If Bernie had not called himself a democratic Socialist but instead a Social Democrat I am convinced he would have won the Presidency.