The Guardian view on Zohran Mamdani's victory in New York: the Democrats can build on an uplifting night | Editorial

"Since the re-election of Donald Trump last November, a demoralised Democratic party has struggled to reverse a palpable sense of downward momentum. At a grassroots level, amid plunging poll ratings, there has been a yearning for renewal and a more punchy, combative approach in opposition. Against that bleak backdrop, the remarkable election of Zohran Mamdani to the New York City mayoralty is a moment for progressives to savour."

"Mr Mamdani entered the mayoral race last October as a socialist outsider with almost zero name recognition. He won it with more than 50% of the vote after the highest turnout in more than half a century, and despite the best efforts of billionaires to bankroll his chief rival, the former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, to victory. That achievement makes him the youngest mayor of the US's largest city for more than 100 years and the first Muslim to occupy the role."

"Leaving culture-war politics to his increasingly desperate opponents, he campaigned relentlessly and almost exclusively on the theme of affordability. Charges of ideological extremism failed to stick because pledges of free childcare, free buses and a rent freeze spoke to an essentially social democratic message, offering public solutions to years of rising inequality. That vision persuaded a vast army of 100,000 volunteer canvassers to knock on millions of doors, more than offsetting Mr Cuomo's far greater financial resources."

Democratic morale declined after Donald Trump's re-election as the party struggled with downward momentum and grassroots desire for renewal and a more combative opposition. Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayoralty as a socialist outsider with little name recognition, securing over 50% of the vote and benefiting from the highest turnout in more than half a century. His victory overcame billionaire-funded opposition from Andrew Cuomo and made him the youngest mayor of the city's modern era and its first Muslim mayor. Mamdani campaigned almost entirely on affordability, promising free childcare, free buses and a rent freeze, and mobilized 100,000 volunteers who canvassed millions of doors. The result signals that values-driven opposition combined with positive, social-democratic policy offers can attract working-class voters and counter MAGA populism. Similar patterns emerged in New Jersey and Virginia.

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