Zohran Mamdani Just Redefined NYC Politics – And He’s Not Backing Down
In a moment that shook up New York politics, Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old brown, Muslim, Democratic socialist, pulled off what many thought was impossible—beating Andrew Cuomo in the first round of the Democratic primary for New York City mayor.
Back in February, most people hadn’t even heard of Mamdani. But in just a few months, he managed to take down a man who practically represents the Democratic establishment. And he did it while refusing to compromise on one of the most controversial issues in U.S. politics: Palestinian liberation.
For years, speaking out in support of Palestine has been seen as political suicide—especially within a party that’s openly pro-Israel at its core. But Mamdani didn’t hide his stance. He embraced it. And guess what? It didn’t sink his campaign—it fueled it.
His win proves something powerful: supporting Palestine isn’t a dealbreaker anymore. It’s becoming a rallying cry. The past two years have seen a wave of activism, from the streets to social media, that’s transformed how people—especially young people—view this issue. A recent Quinnipiac poll showed that sympathy for Israel is at an all-time low, and a Pew study found that over 71% of Democrats aged 18-49 now hold negative views of Israel’s actions.
On primary day—one of the hottest days in NYC in over a decade—I found myself on a Harlem street corner, handing out flyers and asking strangers to consider voting for Mamdani. One of our canvass leads was a college student who had been doxed for standing up to her university’s investments in Israel. She’d been organizing alongside Mahmoud Khalil, one of the student movement’s most prominent voices.
Later that night, as Cuomo conceded, Mamdani’s team gave a heartfelt shoutout to Jewish Voice for Peace, one of the first groups to support his campaign and a key player in the fight against Israel’s ongoing apartheid and violence.
Let’s be clear—Cuomo outspent Mamdani more than 10 to 1. He had $26 million in Super PAC money. Mamdani had just $1.8 million. But what Mamdani lacked in cash, he made up for with people power. His campaign wasn’t about flashy ads—it was built on a foundation of grassroots organizing and years of community work.
Over 1.6 million doors were knocked by an army of volunteers, many of whom have been organizing for years through groups like Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM) and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). These weren’t just people inspired by Mamdani’s charisma—they were already fighting for justice, and they saw him as one of their own.
This wasn’t just another progressive campaign. This was deeply personal. Mamdani had been organizing long before politics came calling. He helped launch his college’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter. He publicly stated he would arrest Netanyahu and dismantle the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group—a unit known for violently cracking down on student protests. He even refused to walk back his support for the phrase “Globalize the Intifada,” despite the death threats and media attacks that followed.
And people noticed. They didn’t just show up—they showed out. Voter turnout soared in neighborhoods that usually stay quiet on election day—Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial communities, especially among young people. Shockingly, Mamdani even came in second among Jewish voters, proving his message was resonating across racial and religious lines.
But the fight’s far from over.
Now that Mamdani has won the Democratic primary, the establishment is turning up the pressure. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand implied he might be a threat to Jewish New Yorkers. Congresswoman Laura Gillen called him “too extreme.” And Tom Suozzi said he had “serious concerns.” Mamdani’s been asked to sit down with Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, but so far, neither has given him an endorsement.
The attacks from the right-wing have been even more disturbing. Tennessee Republican Andy Ogles posted a racist rant on social media, calling Mamdani “Zohran ‘little Muhammad’ Mamdani” and demanding he be denaturalized and deported. Marjorie Taylor Greene chimed in too, sharing an AI-generated image of the Statue of Liberty in a burqa, saying “This hits hard,” while still calling his campaign “smart.”
This isn’t just about one election. Mamdani’s campaign represents a direct challenge to a political system that has long tolerated anti-Muslim bigotry and ignored Palestinian suffering. Under Trump, Palestinian students were among the first targets of his deportation plans—including Mahmoud Khalil, who was arrested and detained during the Columbia protests. Now, Uganda—Mamdani’s home country—might be added to Trump’s travel ban, again under the pretense of “fighting antisemitism.”
So what does Mamdani’s path to victory really tell us?
It tells us that authenticity matters more than endorsements. That people are tired of candidates who talk progressive but act cowardly. And that when someone like Mamdani stands up—without flinching, without watering down his values—millions of people will stand with him.
This isn’t just a political campaign. It’s a movement.
And it’s just getting started.
Discription:
"Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani shakes up the NYC mayoral race, defeating establishment figure Andrew Cuomo with a grassroots campaign rooted in pro-Palestinian activism, youth turnout, and bold progressive values."