Zohran Mamdani has surged so much in his upstart New York City mayoral campaign, he stands to win one of the biggest political prizes in America. With that victory comes a major test for his socialist movement.
Mamdani still trails Andrew Cuomo in most polls but has significantly closed the gap heading into Tuesday’s Democratic primary. A win would shock the Democratic Party, as it grapples with its national 2024 losses, and inspire like-minded lefties to challenge establishment figures.
It would also shine a spotlight on Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America, forcing them to answer one of the most pressing questions of their movement: Can leftist ideologues effectively govern a major metropolis?
As mayor, Mamdani would wield power over a $115 billion budget and more than 300,000 employees, run the nation’s largest police force and immediately be tasked with plowing snow and filling potholes. He would also occupy the greatest bully pulpit in the economic capital of the world’s largest economy, something he highlighted as the chief role of a mayor in a recent interview. That split, which at times frustrated Bill de Blasio when he became mayor, represents the tension between extreme ideology and mundane municipal tasks.
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