New York mayoral candidate fights when testing Democrats

A left-wing candidate rose from behind and became the dark horse in the democratic mayoral primary election in New York City. His surprise success shows that debate on what kind of leader the Democrats want in the Trump era is fierce.

After Donald Trump’s amazing 2024 presidential victory – who broke into New York’s credible Liberal Party – Millennial New York state legislators raised questions.

“What will it take to vote for Democrats in the future?” Zohran Mamdani asked Bronx and Queens residents who either swung for Trump or didn’t vote.

The query is part of a video series that spreads and helps turn the 33-year-old Democratic socialist (with little name recognition) into a serious contender for the mayor of New York City.

New York Democrats headed to the poll Tuesday to select a nominee to lead the largest city in the United States. The nine are fighting for the job, a game that could have an impact on political parties nationwide as it tries to accept Trump.

This is largely a battle between two very different candidates: New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani and Former Governor Andrew Cuomo.

The game was watched not only by New Yorkers, but by Democrats across the country, as it is largely seen as a proxy war of very real internal battles that has plagued the party since Trump won the presidency and in the process expanded his appeal across parts of New York City.

Since then, the party has been engaged in a soul search mission between the left and the moderates.

Former New York Governor Cuomo is largely seen as a moderate “institutional” candidate, while Mamdani has gained support from many young and left-wing voters. He has compared with another democratic socialist and progressive superstar, representing Alexandria Ocasio Cortez. She and Senator Bernie Sanders both recognized Mr. Mamdani.

New York City Auditor General Brad Lander voted after a distant third place, but because the game uses ranking votes, he could be a factor in future votes.

At one point, Mamdani and Cuomo ended the gap and conducted some polls.

He said voters in the most expensive city in the United States want Democrats to focus on affordability. His platforms include free public buses, universal child care services, frozen rentals for subsidized units, and city-run grocery stores.

“It’s a city where a quarter of people live in poverty, a city where half a million children sleep hungry every night,” he told the BBC at a recent event. “Ultimately, it’s a city where it’s possible to lose it so special.”

Although he insists that he can make the city more affordable, critics have made such an ambitious promise.

The New York Times did not recognize anyone in the city’s mayoral primary and generally criticized the candidates. Its editorial board said Mamdani’s agenda “uniquely unsuitable for the city’s challenges” and “often overlooked the inevitable discount on governance trade”.

The board said his rent freeze would limit housing supply.

The millennial’s progress will be the city’s first Muslim and South Asia mayor, who relies on his roots in a diverse city. His family was born in Uganda and moved to New York City at the age of seven. He posted a campaign video entirely in Urdu and mixed it up in Bollywood movie clips. In another, he speaks Spanish.

“No one represents the overall total of issues that I really care about,” Jagpreet Singh, political director of social justice group Drum, told the BBC.

“For a long time, I won’t grab the nose for the first time and remember to vote for the candidate.”

One big question is whether Mamdani’s profile is enough to beat Cuomo with name recognition power.

The veteran politician hopes to explode after resigning as governor’s resignation four years ago Sexual harassment scandal.

His connection to the city is not only from his time as governor of New York, but also because his father, Mario Cuomo, was the longest governor of New York in modern history. Cuomo now leads the older people in New York and—critical—black voters, who make up one-third of them.

Cuomo believes that this reputation is “a myth” citing legislation on marriage equality, criminal justice reform and climate change protection. He also faces criticism Kuvid died in nursing home and his management style.

At a rally held by the Hotel and Games Trade Commission earlier this month, despite calling for his resignation four years ago, one of Cuomo’s unions, Judith Seemungal said she only remembers his support.

She told the BBC: “I own a house in New York City because of my union and I sent three grandchildren to college and Mr Andrew Cuomo always represented the union.”

Dehavin Irby and Carpenters Local 571 also attended the meeting. “He used to do a good job with us,” he said. “He already knew the city. I think I could trust him.”

Cuomo told the BBC that middle class, working families who were disappointed by the Democratic Party will eventually break for his platform, which focuses on affordability and public safety. He attributed Mamdani’s rise in the voting to the young people attracting free social programs.

“There is no free lunch,” Cuomo said.

Cuomo said Mamdani has no experience leading a city with 300,000 employees and a $11.5 billion budget.

“Experience, ability, knowing how to do this job, knowing how to deal with Trump, knowing how to deal with Washington, knowing how to deal with state legislatures are all basic knowledge,” he said. “I believe in on-the-job training, but not New York mayor.”

But political strategist Trip Yang said that “experience” is not necessarily a game-changer in this political era. Whether Mr. Yang won Mandani’s victory, he believes his campaign is “unthinkable”.

“Zohran is supported by thousands of volunteers, thousands of unique donors. It is rare to see the local Democratic primary New York movement and is excited with so many volunteers and grassroots excitement.”

In one of the country’s most diverse communities in a recent Mamdani campaign in Jackson Heights Park, kids ran around as Latino food vendors sell ice cream and snacks.

In many ways, the scene perfectly captures the diversity of the city – many Democrats consider New York’s greatest wealth. But the city is not without racial and political tensions. Mandani said he is threatened by Islam every day, with some targeting his family. According to police, hate investigations into the threat are underway.

He told the BBC that racism showed what was broken in American politics and criticized a Democrat for “allowing Donald Trump to be re-elected” and that no matter who they are or where they come from, could stand up for the working people. ”

Candidates are Israeli Gaza War It will also be in the minds of the voters.

Mamdani’s strong support for the Palestinians and criticism of Israel left him in conflict with most democratic institutions. For example, lawmakers have proposed a bill that would terminate tax-free status of New York charities and have links to Israeli settlements that violate international human rights law.

During the interview, the press also repeatedly pressed him to point out whether he supported Israel’s right to survive as a Jewish state. He said Israel has the right to survive as a country with equal rights, such as the United States, and he is unwilling to support citizenship based on religion or anything else.

Cuomo, by contrast, signed an executive order as governor directing state agencies to evacuate companies that support boycotting Israel’s rulings and describes himself as “a super supporter of Israel and is proud of it.”

In many ways, New York Democrats face the same problems that the party faces in future elections, after which, nationwide, are mainly because of the party’s evaluation of the party and how it litigates Trump.