This win was grown from the dirt, not bought from the top.
Credit: Rolling Stone
I never thought I’d care this much about a mayoral primary in a city I don’t live in. But after six months of political stagnation, international horror and a national mood defined more by despair than direction, this win feels like a pulse. A sign that something is still alive.
Zohran Mamdani is about as common man of a candidate as you can get. At 33, he’s been on the ground, working as a foreclosure prevention counselor and representing Queens’ NY-36 in the Assembly. But less than a decade ago, he was producing music as Young Cardamom. I bet no one could’ve told him then that his name would be spoken across the country in 2025 as a mayoral nominee challenging the Democratic status quo.
I worked on the Wisconsin State Supreme Court race in March, and that victory was exhilarating, with people power beating out billionaire money. But Mamdani’s win? This feels different. This feels like something overdue finally cracking through. It’s a sign that voters are no longer settling for party-line promises that don’t help their daily lives. They want action by a party that actually does what it says.
Mamdani isn’t just a symbol of something bigger brewing, but a wake-up call for the next wave of Democratic leadership. His win shows that the party is finally inching toward a younger, more grounded generation in office. And if Democrats are serious about resisting the authoritarian drift of our current political moment, they need to keep this momentum alive. This isn’t the time for moderates that aren’t creating change. It’s the time for candidates who actually look like the communities they serve and fight like it, too.
I see lessons for 2026 and beyond in this win. Democrats need to stop treating economic justice like an optional bullet point. Social issues are absolutely critical. As a disabled trans lesbian, I live the stakes of those fights every single day. From anti-trans legislation to access to health care, there’s no question that civil rights are on the ballot. But we cannot keep treating them like standalone causes. Because the truth is, the fight for justice is intersectional. You cannot separate a trans person’s safety from their housing. You can’t divorce liberation from labor rights. If your policies don’t touch someone’s paycheck, their vote probably won’t touch your name on the ballot.
That’s exactly why Mamdani’s approach stands out. He doesn’t separate social issues from economic ones; he has built real plans that account for both. His LGBTQIA+ platform is a model of what it looks like to move beyond bland symbolic allyship that many current Democrats embody. Mamdani has pledged $57 million to hospitals, clinics, health centers and nonprofits that provide gender-affirming care, along with an additional $8 million for virtual services. This is about more than healthcare. It is about ensuring LGBTQIA+ survival. Lack of access to gender-affirming care can be the reason that someone loses their job or their housing. It leads to economic instability, workplace discrimination and higher rates of homelessness. Mamdani names that problem and funds a solution with a plan. He doesn’t just say that queer lives matter over and over. He makes sure that queer people can live. That’s the difference between progressive branding and progressive governance.
This victory isn’t just about one candidate but sends a message from the ground up. A signal that people are tired of performative politics and ready for real, material change. If Democrats want to win the future, they need to start by listening to campaigns and politicians like Mamdani. Because the people are speaking. Loudly.
If party leaders are paying attention, they’ll stop shoving democratic socialist campaigns and ideas to the side. The Democratic party is dying and these ideas are a blueprint for survival. If Mamdani’s win shows us anything, it’s that the people are done waiting. The left isn’t knocking politely anymore. It’s kicking the damn door down. For the Democratic Party, it’s decision time: evolve or get out of the way.