“Historical event”. The migrant may become the mayor of New York
33-year-old Zohran Mamdani competed in the election of the mayor of New York with the program freezing rents, the introduction of free buses and the creation of grocery stores belonging to the city. Critics ridiculed the unreal plans of a 33-year-old democratic socialist. And then he crushed everyone.
The surprising result of Democrats in New York signals a potential change in the city's policy – and can change the face of all American policy.
To understand what Mamdani's victory would mean for the future of city management and the Democratic Party, we contacted current and former mayors, as well as politicians with significant knowledge about urban policy.
“Fresh and extremely talented”
David Axelrod is a political consultant and strategist, he was the main strategist and senior adviser to the president Barack Obama.
Price accessibility It was a fuel that driven its increase in popularity. It is also a matter that is supra -regional.
The results reflected the generational and educational division in the party. He achieved the best results among voters under the age of 50 and voters with higher education. However, despite the emphasis on price accessibility, it was worse among voters without higher education, belonging to the working classwho probably discouraged cultural issues.
The second candidate Andrew Cuomo was a symbol of the compromised status quo. Zohran Mamdani was a fresh and extremely talented opponent. He is an eloquent and authentic supporter of change.
Some Mamdani's positions will quickly become a breeding ground for Eric Adams in November and for the Republican Party, which willingly presents Democrats as the party of the extreme left. The candidate will have to decide whether and how to repel these attacks without giving up his principles and authenticity.
What works in New York will not necessarily work everywhere, so the idea that Mamdani has created a pattern for the victory of Democrats in the future, is exaggerated.
But you can learn a lot from him about the attractiveness of generational change, the value of authenticity, focusing on economic issues and the use of new media techniques to reach voters who gave up politics.
Zohran Mamdani during a democratic debate, New York, June 4, 2025.
“People want the government to start working again”
Michelle Wu is the mayor of Boston, Massachusetts.
This is an exciting moment when a candidate who started with great ideas and promises of things really important to peoplecan overcome a lot of negative advertisements, flowing from the outside and all typical phenomena that make politics seem more and more driven by big money. We saw an operation built from scratch, associated with the everyday life of people, which had a huge impact.
People want the authorities to start working again and prove that we are still able to unite, achieve great things and improve the quality of life of citizens. This was my goal four years ago. My administration focused on this and this is also the purpose of my re -election campaign. It is the faith and conviction of our community that we can still achieve goals and that we can unite to provide people with an easier life, a sense of belonging and bond with the community, and the opportunity to build a life that will improve the situation of everyone.
When you talk to people at housing estate meetings, cafes or after mass, it's not about fashionable slogans. People just want to feel that their hard work will contribute to maintaining families and building the life they dream of. Cities, especially local governments, have a huge role to play in thisbecause we are the only government instance that can carry out tasks every day, and sometimes even from an hour.
We often focus on problems that have not appeared overnight, but they are long -lasting, serious and complicated and are of great importance for our residents, and we can do something to solve them. The most important question is: whether you decide to take this step and try a new approach, or will you be satisfied with the status quo and let the time pass. I think it is quite obvious that people are ready to take significant steps to improve their lives and the overall health and possibilities of our community.
“It is also about domestic policy”
Joe Crowley is a former Congressman from the 14th Electoral District in New York, and currently he is the senior politics director at Dentons.
New York is a very unique place. Mamdani conducted an excellent campaign and raised many issues that disturb New Yorkers, in particular the issue of affordability. But I would also suggest that it is also about the national policy and Donald Trump and the anxiety he caused in a place like New York: we saw it in 2018. After the 2016 election, we observed how part of this anxiety realized in the Democratic Party and I think that now we can see it again.
However, we must be careful when looking at New York and using it elsewhere. I think that Mamdani still has questions that he must answer when it comes to representing all New Yorkers, and how he intends to deal with it, and how he wants to finance some of the things promised in the campaign. That is why I think that the election has not yet ended – although it seems likely that he will win them. Although it is also an open matter.
“The elections are not won by begging billionaires for huge sums of money”
Bernie Sanders He is a senator of the state of Vermont and former mayor of Burlington, Vermont.
Mamdani led a strong one bottom -up campaignbased on a progressive program. These two things go hand in hand. A bottom -up campaign cannot be run if people's enthusiasm is not aroused. You can't arouse people's enthusiasm if you have nothing to say. And he had a lot to say.
He said he wanted to make New York a life -friendly cityavailable to ordinary people that the richest residents will have to start paying fair taxes to stabilize the scandalously high costs of the apartment, which, incidentally, are a problem throughout the country. That you can wisely deal with transport, childcare, healthcare, and the needs of ordinary people from the working class.
Invent a program that makes sense to people. This will motivate them to participate in the campaign. They will be ready to knock on the door. This is how the election is won.
In my opinion, the elections are not won by begging billionaires for huge sums of money. Cuomo did something different: he broadcast stupid advertising on television, which no one noticed. We need a program that will speak to people from the working class, mobilize millions throughout the country to get involved in its implementation. You have to face the class of billionaires, face the oligarchy. This is how the election is won.
“I don't know if it's a recipe for success”
Lori Lightfoot was the mayor of Chicago in Illinois in 2019–2023.
I am surprised that Mamdani won with such a big advantage. I think this is a significant victory, but also a big reprimand for Andrew Cuomo. I think that the reality of Cuomo's return to power, as the mayor of one of the most important cities in the world, has reached everyone. Many voters said: “No, thank you.”
I am not sure if it is right to say that this is a revival of the extreme left of the Democratic Party. It is difficult for me to understand that a democratic socialist can become a mayor one of the most important financial cities in the world. It is hard for me to imagine.
In November, the Republicans presented the Democrats very well as detached from reality and not contacting ordinary peoplefocusing on cultural issues instead of matters that really interest people: affordable prices, healthcare and that the industry does not leave people from the working class.
Mamdani used it, but his solutions to problems will not be widely received in New York. I don't think they are widely received in a larger democratic diaspora. Keep a campaign under the slogan “Let's tax the rich”? I don't think it is a winning formula. I also don't think it is a winning issue in New York, where so many live rich people. This certainly speaks to a group of society – people who think that some do not pay righteous taxes. However, I do not know if this is a recipe for success.
Zohran Mamdani at a meeting with voters, New York, June 15, 2025.
“Fresh eye”
Darrell Steinberg was the mayor of Sacramento in California in 2016-2024 and a long -time member of the California legislative assembly.
In this difficult period for my party, voters are looking for hope and inspiration. Experience still matters, but voters are ready invest in younger candidateswho can look at our most difficult challenges with a fresh eye.
“Bad state of affairs”
Matt Mahan is the mayor of San Jose in California.
People throughout America They vote for changes. But changes take various forms and come from the whole ideological spectrum. Zohran and I have very different visions of how to make changes and our ideas will be checked in practice in the coming years.
But we agree in one: the current state of affairs is bad. The apartments are too expensive. Homelessness is a moral failure. Everyone deserves to live in a clean and safe area. Everyone who wants to work should be able to earn a fair life in our economy.
This is where our consent ends. I think that to achieve these goals, we do not need a larger administration – we need a better administration. We need practical solutions that work.
After three years of office, we begin to see the results. San Jose It opens more temporary apartments than any other city on the west coast – and probably throughout the country. We are the only large city that has solved all murder matters over the past three years and has the lowest crime indicator for 20 years. The number of bus passengers returned to the level before the pandemic. We have the most new patents in the field of artificial intelligence in the country, the highest salaries for new graduates and the second fastest increase in pedestrian traffic in the city center after Pandemic. We also create a movement of thousands of inhabitants who decide to spend Saturdays, helping their communities.
Our program differences will be checked in practice. Finally, I will only add that every entrepreneur or company who wants to leave New York will be warmly received in San Jose.
“Vision of a just city”
Ayanna Pressley is a representative of the 7th Massachusetts constituency in the House of Representatives of the United States and a former member of the Boston City Council.
The victory of Zohran Mamdani in the primaries of Democrats as the mayor of New York is historical event. Zohran led a campaign that reached people where they were, and showed what can be achieved by conducting a campaign based on a positive vision of a more just city.
I am a person who began her career in local government as the first black woman elected to the Boston City Council, so from my own experience I know the strength and potential of local leaders in changing the life of people. At this key moment, when our rights and freedoms are threatened, we need visionary leaders who serve people – and not special interests or billionaires – And who are involved in building a more just America, in which everyone has metal needs met.
This is what a city wants to build Zohran with New Yorkers from various environments. I know that Zohran does not treat November choices as something certain. These historical primaries show us what we can achieve, guided by the transformation policy, not transactions, and based on good ideas that correspond to the scale of harm and damage, and have a clear, positive vision. I am completely involved in building New York and a country where everyone can afford life and dreams.
