01/02/2026
Mamdani’s Win as Mayor of NYC: A victory for the Democratic Party and a Setback to the
Working Class
On November 4 2025, Zohran Mamdani, member of the Democratic Socialists of America, won
the New York City Mayoral election with 50% of the votes. Mamdani won the Mayoral election in
the Democratic Party’s primary back in June when he beat the disgraced ex-governor Andrew
Cuomo, whom the elites inside the Democratic Party supported. Mamdani was able to win by
focusing on progressive policies [1] such as “Rent Freeze” in Housing, “Public Groceries”
(government run groceries), similar to a program established in Turkey under Erdogan (which
we cannot say is a “socialist” [2]), “Childcare”, “Free Buses” and “Affordable Housing”.
Mamdani’s win might be seen as a victory in the face of Trump’s racist, anti-”communist” and
islamophobic rhetoric due to these campaign promises and his background,but it is far from it.
MONEY SPENT
About 26 Billionaires spent Millions against Mamdani’s campaign[3]. Even some members in the
Democratic Party worked against him and backed Andrew Cuomo, who decided to run as an
“Independent”. What many don’t know is that 2 Billionaires actually donated millions to
Mamdani’s campaign [4]. The first Billionaire is Elizabeth Simons, the daughter of late hedge
fund billionaire Jim Simons. The second is Github cofounder Tom Preston-Werner. If we look
into American elections, we will find that they are more of a business than actual democracy as
they claim it to be. Corporations and the rich treat elections as an investment to grow “influence”
in government for the benefit of making more money. In the 2024 presidential and federal
elections, about $1.9 Billion dollars were spent [5].
DSA RESCUING THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
In New York City, about 2 million people voted out of 5 million that were registered to vote in a
city with an estimated population of 8 million. Mamdani (Democrat) won with 1.1 million, while
Andrew Cuomo (Independent) received 900,000 and Curtis Sliwa (Republican) only received
153,000 votes. In the biggest city of the USA, not every citizen cares or sees the elections as
important unfortunately. If there’s a silver lining to the low voter turnout, it's that more than half of
the people don’t see elections as bringing change to their daily struggles.
DSA’s plan to enter the Democrat Party in order to change it throws a lifeline to the Democratic
Party which has been in crisis. The Biden/Harris presidential campaign is a product of that crisis.
As it faces a crisis, it opens opportunities to the “far-left” and progressive ideas in order to
continue its plutocracy. Unfortunately, DSA’s victory only brings heartbreak to their supporters
and at the same time will muddle the meaning of “socialism”.
Mamdani might be a good person and not have an ill will in manipulating the working class into
believing in his ideas, but the Democratic Party does. They have co-opted many “good”
politicians and have turned them into servants of the Corporations. Just look at how Bernie Sanders and A.O.C. have been changed into supporting the party line and even voted in favor
of arming Israel. Recently, DSA and Mamdani refused to support Chi Osse [6] who was planning
on challenging Hakeem Jefferies, a pro-Israel and anti-socialist, for the House of
Representatives of NY. Mamdani also promised to retain the NYPD commissioner, Jessica
Tisch, who is a zionist and supports the repression of pro-Palestinian activists. Not to mention,
that Mamdani visited Trump at the oval office on Nov. 21 [7].
HISTORY OF SOCIALISTS IN ELECTIONS
Socialists have run for presidents and Mayoral seats throughout history. For example, in the
early 1900s, Eugene V. Debs ran for president under the Socialist Party of America. In the
1920s, the Communist Party ran Candidates under the Workers Party of America. In recent
years, the Peace and Freedom Party and Party for Socialism and Liberation have run
presidential candidates. While they have not won any elections, these parties run against the
Democratic/Republican Party. The DSA’s leadership refuses to do so.
Zohran will be sworn in on Jan. 1, 2026. For New York City to have a mayor that is not US-born
and of African-Indian background is deeply symbolic. But without a doubt, if anything goes
badly or does not work, Zohran’s “socialist” ideas will be blamed. Supporters of DSA should be
the most demanding and keep Mamdani and DSA in check.
“REFORM OR REVOLUTION?”
Socialism is possible outside of elections and government reforms. Workers can organize a
strike for their demands. Rosa Luxemburg who had differences with social democrats argued
that the struggle for reforms (higher wages, better conditions, democratic rights) is essential, but
only as a means to an end. Daily struggles for reform develop the "class consciousness" and
organizational strength of the workers. The ultimate goal must be the conquest of political power
and the abolition of the wage system.
Engels (Socialism: Utopian and Scientific): “The
proletariat seizes the public power, and by means of this transforms
the socialized means of production, slipping from the hands of the
bourgeoisie, into public property. By this act, the proletariat frees the
means of production from the character of capital they have thus far
borne, and gives their socialized character complete freedom to work
itself out. Socialized production upon a predetermined plan becomes
henceforth possible. The development of production makes the
existence of different classes of society thenceforth an anachronism.
In proportion as anarchy in social production vanishes, the political
authority of the State dies out. Man, at last the master of his own
form of social organization, becomes at the same time the lord over Nature, his own master — free.
To accomplish this act of universal emancipation is the historical
mission of the modern proletariat. To thoroughly comprehend the
historical conditions and thus the very nature of this act, to impart to
the now oppressed proletarian class a full knowledge of the
conditions and of the meaning of the momentous act it is called upon
to accomplish, this is the task of the theoretical expression of the
proletarian movement, scientific Socialism.”
We are living in a time where the standard of living is becoming more and more dreadful, and
the Government has no interest in bringing solutions to the issues the Working Class faces. One
of the main issues is housing, and in Mamdani’s own New York City, the minimum wage is
around $17/hr and the average rent is around $2,000-3,000. It is impossible to live on a single
wage and live comfortably in a standard apartment. The other issue that NYC people are facing
along with all Americans is Healthcare affordability. Safety is another issue facing the city, and
the solution for the Mayors is more police. While crime continues, the NY police department
budget keeps ballooning and corruption keeps running amok among the Department. Let’s not
forget the corruption running rampant within NYC city officials, like the case against current
Mayor, Eric Adams (a Democrat), who did not run for re-election due to an FBI indictment on
federal charges for bribery and fraud.
DSA and the Democrat Party will keep insisting that through elections things will change and
that reforms take time because it is a “process.” At the same time, when banks (whose main
headquarters are in NYC) need a bailout, there is no long process for them to receive
government assistance.
Now is the time to build power and an independent working class organization outside of the
Democrat/Republican parties who will fight for the solutions of the issues facing the working
class outside of the electoral process.
FOR AN INDEPENDENT WORKING CLASS ORGANIZATION OUTSIDE OF THE
DEMOCRATIC/REPUBLICAN PARTIES!
