In a political climate where upholders of leftist ideologues lie suppressed and a tyrannical wave of realist right-wing ideologues reign supreme, the victory of the young 33-year-old Zohran Mamdani as the first Muslim leader to win the Democrat nomination for New York’s 2025 mayoral election is more than just a poltical upset in Trump’s America. Rather it is a welcome social and political ‘tectonic shift’ in US’s most diverse and celebrated state of New York where the voice of the liberal masses has prevailed over elitist politics of democrats and republicans alike, and against the influence of US kleptocrats.
His primary victory has not resulted in just the US populous and political leaders from both sides being left stunned but rather it continues to baffle those even in the international community, particularly, as Mamdani’s victory is seen as a huge win for minorities. From Kampala to Queens, if he happens to win the November 2025 election, the young rapper turned politician will revamp America’s political map, rebrand socialism and may even prove to be a U-turn for Trump’s international position in the Middle East.
This brings us to who is Zohran Mamdani. A Ugandan national of Indian descent and a Muslim Democrat who made his mark in politics by engaging with taxi driver solidarity movements and public housing advocacy to become a member of US Congress. Although, Mamdani hails from a privileged background–born to acclaimed Punjabi-Hindu filmmaker Mira Nair and renowned Gujrati-Muslim Colombia University Professor Mahmood Mamdani, he differs from his Democrat predecessors. His humble appeal and lack of elite backing has won him the support of a broad coalition varying from New York’s progressive privileged to working class strata of society.
Born to immigrants, his win as a potential candidate for the upcoming mayoral elections has ironically ‘trumped’ Trump’s very campaign agenda directed against immigrants being no more than a threat to America’s national security and political fabric. Trump’s threat against Mamdani demanding ICE’s cooperation or risking arrest also highlights the former’s fear of the latter being the very emblem of what he campaigned against. While Mamdani’s Muslim background and outspoken pro-Palestinian stance made him a likely target for accusations of anti-semitism from political opponents, he nonetheless managed to gain support from many progressive Jewish New Yorkers. This reflects not only Mamdani’s broad liberal appeal to those who value justice and equity but also highlights New York’s multicultural fabric – one that stands in stark contrast to the exclusionary and right-wing vision promoted by figures like Donald Trump.
What spectators are concerned with is how did a relatively new leader hailing from an immigrant background manage to turn the tables and defeat his left-centrist long time Democrat opponent, ex-governor Andrew Cuomo, and turn his success from fleeting hope to a solid reality as New York city’s mayoral candidate.
One answer relies on how Mamdani’s entry into governorship reflects Americans growing frustration with political kleptocracy and oligarchy in the face of indeepening inequality as millionaires like Zuckerberg, Bezos, and Musk tap into AI potential while engaging in worker cuts. While Trump may have used his populist political rhetoric as means of siding with the average American but his longterm engagement with Elon Musk in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) proved how millionaire backing mattered in US politics.
Andrew Cuomo’s own scandalous career and public backing by elite billionaire scions may have reflected a pattern that traditional democrats and republicans continued to rely on but New York’s population had seemingly become disillusioned with the doings of the corrupt political vanguard and instead desired change. It was not just the leader’s character and his political moto that mattered but the political disillusionment and the multicultural foundation of New York city that desired a new path to equality which, paved the way for change in the existing political system.
Furthermore, the answer lies in how Mamdani managed to hijack the voter demand for affordability. He did not rely on jargon but offered structured concrete policies such as opening the city-owned grocery store which sounded less like Marxist jargon at this point and simply the demand of the people. By campaigning for free city buses, rent freeze, universal childcare, and a $30 minimum wage, he reframed socialism in a way that it tapped into the frustration of voters over mortgage, rent and wage given that New York is one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in with median rent exceeding $4000 a month.
Ironically, he reclaimed economic populism from Trump, whose ‘Make America Great Again’ (MAGA) vision, was overcome by Mamdani’s ‘Make New York Affordable’ campaign. It seems Mamdani’s messaging may have played a role in neutralising decades of ‘anti-socialist stigma’ often associated with ‘anti-communist sentiment’. While the idea of taxing the rich once seemed like Marxist rhetoric at odds with the ‘American Dream’ but Mamdani’s victory reflects a growing disillusionment among millions of twenty-first century Americans who now see affordability not as an ideal but as a much-needed practicality.
Mamdani’s win as a potential mayoral candidate also highlights how not only is the Democrat’s centre-left losing ground but that tapping into a new voter coalition is the key to success. His success shows the corporate- backed centrist politicians are vulnerable and no longer a viable strategy for the Democrats in the face of Trump’s rise. While Congress representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez win against Joe Crowley in 2018 was, arguably, a huge political flip but Mamdani’s win served to uproot all forms of old centrist politics that relied on transactional and traditional coalitions.
Unlike Andew Cuomo who relied on traditional voter bases like white voters, black churches, and conservative Jews, Mamdani instead tapped into a newer, often overlooked base in New York comprising leftist millennials, Gen Z voters, progressive, educated white renters, and immigrants from the Global South. With his bold and open approach in political campaigning, he even managed to attract the endorsement of ‘limousine liberals’ like Kamala Harris’s step-daughter Ella Emhoff and Cynthia Nixor which paved the way for his win.
Furthermore, Mamdani’s open and unabashed pro-Palestinian views including calls for arresting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in accordance with ICJ verdict coupled with his statements addressing the reality of anti-semitism in New York city has tapped into the sentiments of both Muslim and Jewish sides instead of sidelining one for another. This may be the reason that despite sentiments being high on US turf, a potential first for a New York Muslim mayor, may be in the making. This is a testament to the views of the residents of New York who have realised that Islamophobia can no longer be used as an electoral weapon despite verbal attacks from MAGA supporters like Charlie Kirk.
While Zohran Mamdani may have won his first primary candidacy election but if elected, governing will be another ball-game alwhether they are tight budgets, state-level resistance, fierce critics or high expectations as elections between Republicans and Democrats loom. Caution remains as his bold ideas, like free transit and wealth taxes, may still need the state of Albany’s support, which may not come easily.
Furthermore, he has shown signs of pragmatism, softening his ‘defund the police’ stance and expanding his base beyond the DSA. Furthermore, while his Hindu origins may have garnered him support across multi-ethnic diaspora in New York, he ironically continues to face criticism from farright Hindu extremist groups including from Modi’s party who target him for his Muslim faith by calling him a ‘potential jihadist’ incompatible with American society. Securing his Hindu voter base may also prove a challenge if rhetoric against him and his faith continues to be weaponised.
Much remains to be seen until the November mayoral elections. While his win as mayoral candidacy signals a shift against economic stagnation and political complacency, however, the political future of Mamdani and whether he wins as mayor for New York city still remains open as his face off against incumbent Republican mayor Eric Adams looms.
The writer is a political analyst and our Editorial Assistant.
