The election on 4 November redefined America’s political landscape. The Democrats won in New York, New Jersey, Virginia and even in the traditionally Republican state of Ohio. They won in different ways, fielding new candidates with different motivations, but they won everywhere. This occurred on a night when Donald Trump remained silent, instead summoning Republican senators to the White House to negotiate the reopening of the government and an end to the shutdown which ultimately led to his defeat. In New York, Zohran Mamdani’s victory marked a turning point. The thirty-four-year-old son of Ugandan immigrants of Indian origin — a Muslim democratic socialist and activist in the borough of Queens — Mamdani managed to transform a platform that seemed confined to the fringes of city politics into a compelling governance proposal, particularly appealing to young people, workers, and even young Jews despite some of his positions on Israel resulting in superficial accusations of anti-Semitism. Zohran addressed the real issues facing New Yorkers, ranging from the cost of living and unaffordable rents to middle-class families struggling to make ends meet amid Wall Street’s billionaire earnings and the ever-present risk of falling below the poverty line. Throughout his campaign, Mamdani listened intently and knocked on every door, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, especially among young people, informal workers, immigrants and those who no longer feel represented by the city’s glamorous image.
His victory over Andrew Cuomo, the former governor and face of the Democratic establishment, was a resounding defeat for the old guard. And no presidential interference could change the course of events.
Trump openly backed Cuomo, calling Mamdani a “communist” and threatening to cut the city’s federal funding. Yesterday, he also called jewish supporters of the immigrant Mamdani “stupid”, while in the past, such individuals would have been celebrated as the embodiment of the American dream, as exemplified by New York’s first Italian-American mayor, Fiorello LaGuardia. Speaking to his supporters in Brooklyn on Tuesday evening, Mamdani said, “For as long as we can remember, the working people of New York have been told by the wealthy and the well-connected that power does not belong in their hands. And yet, over the last 12 months, you have dared to reach for something greater. Tonight, against all odds, we have grasped it.” With over 50% of the vote, Mamdani defeated Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa to become the city’s first Muslim mayor, its youngest in over a century, and its first immigrant mayor since the 1970s. He has an ambitious agenda: affordable housing, childcare and schools, and efficient transport.If he succeeds in making the city safer and less unequal, ensuring that citizens feel respected, he could become one of New York’s most successful mayors. However, he will need to work with a diverse team, combining a small number of social democrats with experienced civil servants familiar with the administrative processes. His election has also caused a stir among Manhattan’s elite.
The Wall Street giants, who invested millions in supporting other candidates, now have to collaborate with a mayor they once deemed unfathomable. They will also have to hope that their worst fears about the impact of his economic policy do not come true. Someone on X has already offered to help the new mayor.
Mamdani’s success is part of a Democratic wave sweeping across the country. From Abigail Spanberger in Virginia to Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey, young voters have overthrown dynasties and women have made history for the first time. They are all united by one message: “We may have many different faces,” said Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, “but we are aware of the challenge ahead of us: to work together as a team.” The ‘No Kings Day’ protest on 18 October, which attracted 8.5 million participants, found expression at the ballot box. Trump’s authoritarian turn has sparked a political response, as well as an emotional one, proving that fear is no longer an effective government strategy. Once again, the economy was at the heart of this response. According to the AP Voter Poll, which surveyed more than 17,000 voters in New Jersey, Virginia, California and New York, high prices, stagnant wages and fewer opportunities emerged as the dominant themes. In New York, the issue is the cost of housing; in New Jersey, it is taxes and utility bills; and in Virginia, Federal cuts and job losses. Meanwhile, immigration and criminality played a lesser role. Ironically, the same financial concerns that helped Trump secure the presidency a year ago now appear to be undermining his party’s prospects. These issues might become an even greater problem in the 2026 midterm elections, when the balance of power in Trump’s presidency will be decided, as the Democrats could gain a majority in Congress. If the Mamdani model is successful, it will provide an example of democratic government at a time when many Americans remain sceptical. His victory sends a clear message: New York is not just Democratic or Socialist. It is once again a political workshop. For one night, the American dream spoke with a Ugandan accent, an Indian heart, and the voice of a New Yorker.
