Progressives were elated when Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani won an upset victory over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democrats' New York mayoral primary this past June. The 33-year-old self-described socialist's win "sends a clear message," Jared Abbott in . "A bold populist campaign and a laser-like focus on economic issues can break through to voters, even when insiders, billionaires, and the party establishment line up in opposition.