Not long ago, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was demonized by leaders of both political parties. On Thursday night, the 34-year-old democratic socialist was celebrated as a political force, the face of the region’s sports renaissance, even the leader of “Mamdanistan.”
In a rally with Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., that drew thousands to a Brooklyn theater, the emboldened mayor delivered a fiery message to Democratic leaders in Washington — and even those considering 2028 presidential bids — as he worked to elevate a slate of likeminded candidates in Tuesday’s New York primaries.
“People often ask me what I think of the state of the Democratic Party. This slate here today is our answer,” Mamdani declared. “The Democratic Party must change.”
“The party of the past will not be what leads us into the future. We need a Democratic Party with backbone.”
He shared the stage with three congressional candidates, including two running against Democratic incumbents. All three identify, or have identified, as democratic socialists. They promised to “abolish ICE,” condemned the “genocide” in Israel and vowed to “tax the rich” if elected.
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Mamdani endorsed political organizer Darializa Avila Chevalier over Rep. Adriano Espaillat, the chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, in New York’s 13th District, which includes parts of upper Manhattan and the Bronx.
Mamdani is also backing former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who is running against incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman in New York’s 10th District. And in New York’s 7th, he’s supporting democratic socialist state Assembly Member Claire Valdez against outgoing Rep. Nydia Velazquez’s handpicked successor.
I mean… The DNC already do two of those things regularly and already beat the GOP on the other, but uh…
Why didn’t he say all this before the primaries were held in most states? Or after the General Elections?
EDIT: Because this is specifically about the NYC election and not any broader “democratic leadership” which is weird because Mamdani is among the ranks of democratic leadership in NYC.
Because you have to build political capital before you can spend it. If he had said it in December, corporatist Dems would’ve been able to use the excuse “why should we care what he has to say? All he did was get elected; he hasn’t done anything yet.”
I think more accurately the whole event was Mamdani prepping for the NYC primaries which have not occured yet, and the article being a bogus inflammatory hit piece trying to shame his party.