Readers on Zohran Mamdani's victory: It was a collective exhale'

"New York felt like itself again when the results came in: It wasn't just an election, it was a collective exhale the sound of millions of people who had been holding their breath for too long. For years, New Yorkers have lived with a kind of quiet exhaustion, he said, as rents climbed, wages stalled and hope felt like something nostalgic. But, Watts added, when Mamdani took the stage, something cracked open, his words weren't polished for power brokers; they were written for the people who make this city run."

"Margaret Kogan, an 81-year-old retired social worker in New York, said that she feels hopeful that NYC will become more affordable for all of us, including the workers on whom we all depend and perhaps Mamdani's victory is a wake-up call for the slumbering Democratic party."

"Dylan, a 32-year-old high school history teacher in New York, said that they didn't vote in the primary because I was so pessimistic and hopeless about our political system being a viable avenue for positive change. But Mamdani's campaign and the enthusiasm of his supporters re-energized me to participate in politics again, Dylan noted."

Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist and state assembly member from Queens, won the New York mayoralty with more than 50% of the vote, defeating former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Hundreds of people across New York City, the United States and beyond responded with optimism, joy and renewed political energy. Residents described relief from prolonged economic pressures, hope for greater affordability and inspiration to re-engage in politics. Supporters emphasized Mamdani's populist messaging aimed at everyday workers and saw the victory as a challenge to entrenched political forces.

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