First blow to Trump at the polls

"A self-proclaimed democratic socialist Muslim from New York City became the face of hope on Tuesday for the millions of Americans who needed to regain faith in their country in the face of Donald Trump's display of authoritarianism. Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old naturalized immigrant unknown to most New Yorkers just a year ago, won the mayoral election by a massive nine-point margin over his main rival, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, heir to a half-century-long political dynasty and representative of the city's Democratic establishment."

"Trump's irritation with Mamdani even led him to urge voters to support Cuomo and to insult voters. The massive response was a slap in the face to the president's pride, a city luminary, and a demonstration of the toxic effect of his style. The injection of hope that Mamdani's victory represents simultaneously opens a rift within the Democratic Party. While the election is a clear rejection of Trump, it is also a rejection of a certain aspect of the Democratic Party."

"Mamdani's is a minority left-wing candidacy that overcame the formidable political machine of the New York Democrats with the backing of the progressive movement led by Senator Bernie Sanders. His message focused primarily on the root causes of inequality: housing prices, the cost of living, and job insecurity. In other words, he appealed to the same discontent that led many people to vote for Trump and that now sees these trends accelerating instead of subsiding."

Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old naturalized immigrant and self-described democratic socialist Muslim from New York City, won the mayoral election by a nine-point margin over former Governor Andrew Cuomo. The victory overturned the New York Democratic establishment and succeeded with backing from the progressive movement led by Senator Bernie Sanders. President Trump attempted to support Cuomo and criticized voters, but the result was a decisive rebuke. Mamdani emphasized housing affordability, the cost of living, and job insecurity as root causes of inequality. His campaign appealed to the same discontent that drove some Trump voters. The outcome injects hope while opening a rift within the Democratic Party over strategy and priorities.

Read at english.elpais.com