In the busy race for the position of mayor of New York City, Zahran Mamdani has become an interesting magnet, ascends in the polls and collecting money through a mixture of social media intelligence and a clear approach.
He made home visits to some thousands of young donors and took New Year’s Day in the ocean to clarify the freezing of the rent. Break Ramadan quickly Eat borrito On the Q train, FAUX apologized for violating the metro etiquette – all in a style style that reminds us of “Saturday Night Live” more than a political declaration.
But for Mr. Mamdani, a 33 -year -old member of the State Council from Queens, the victory in the democratic primaries in June is still a hard challenge that goes beyond the attempt to convert Veranea social media into votes.
While many of his progressive competitors in the race adopted central positions on some issues such as police and public safety, Mr. Mamdani, a democratic socialist, still embraces left -wing views that have become the least popular among voters in New York.
However, it has proven to be an effective strategy for the campaign. Mr. Mamdani has become a record holder of the progressive Democrats as a new alternative to veteran competitors, most notably former state governor Andrew M. Como, mayor Eric Adams and Brad Lander, and the city’s descendants.
But winning the elections over a very challenging prefix will be a challenge. Mr. Mamdani admits this and knows that he must get his supporters – many in the far left and outside the traditional energy structure in the city – to come out in large numbers.
In the introductory elections, which rarely see the demand for a quarter of qualified voters, the victory over the new voters can provide the impact of Mr. Mamdani on his results.
On a recent visit to the campaign to the Mass Bronx Muslim Center in the Little Yemen neighborhood in East Bronx, Mr. Mamdani appealed to those who gathered to use their electoral power completely. More than 350,000 of about a million Muslims are registered in New York to vote, according to figures from the Council on American Islamic Relations. But in the last municipal elections, only about 12 percent of them threw the poll.
“I do not blame anyone in our society for not voting, because it often seems to be not much to vote on it,” Mr. Mamdani told a group of about 100 people. “But on June 24, in this democratic introductory elections, we have an opportunity – an opportunity – to tell the world that Muslims belong to New York City, but we belong to the city hall.”
He asked the fans if they had enough money to pay for rent, grocery stores, child care and electrical bills. He sat many attention to Rapa, nodded with their heads speaking. The teachings of the Prophet Muhammad followed in saying that their common goal is to make people’s lives better.
Mr. Mamdani told the group in explaining that his campaign was focusing on making the city more affordable, describing it as a “campaign to allow the New York residents to dream again.”
Mr. Mamdani emphasized the basic basics of his campaign: free buses, freezing rental City -owned grocery stores.
The campaigns are usually targeted by the three voters who have votes in three successive preliminary elections. Mr. Mamdani turned his attention to those who do not hear regularly from political campaigns. He is betting that his unpopular focus on the cost of living will resonate with people who feel ignored by the government-a strategy that hopes to appeal to Trump’s publishers, especially in the neighborhoods of the working class outside Manhattan.
Even the conservative Manhattan Institute realizes the momentum of Mr. Mamdani, citing his attractiveness to people called Playing expert John Dela Folp of Socialsphere, the company called “District Sadha”-New York’s working class who advance but worried about public safety and feels very difficult.
“I want you to enjoy the idea that socialism Zahran Mamdani can actually become the next mayor of New York City.” “I know this looks crazy, but we live in strange times.”
Mr. Mamdani has already raised nearly $ 7 million since entering the race in October, including public matching funds. Although his limited name confesses, he is now proud More than 16000 Individual donors. Most opinion polls are shown to him in third place, behind Mr. Adams and candidates with political levels at the city level.
“He creates excitement within a voter who does not always see themselves reflected in leadership in New York City,” said Yasmine Greber, co -director of the left -wing families Party. “He speaks to a base of voters who are excited by the presence of a candidate that carries their values, which resembles them, and comes from their society, and he tends to do so“
The younger voters have turned more hesitation. Almost one in every five voters are less than 40 years old, who were voted in the 2021 preliminary elections, an increase of about 13 percent of these voters in 2013, according to the results of New York City campaign financing council. The total turnout, in about 27 percent of registered voters, was among the highest in the last years of elections.
Under the arranged option system, which allows voters to choose up to five candidates for preference, the expansion of Mr. Mamdani’s base can help some of his most similar competitors in thinking. If he occupies third or worse, his voices can go to his supporter candidate in the following rank.
Mr. Mamdani has already adhered to the intersection of at least one opponent who did not carry his name in an attempt to associate the momentum of Mr. Como, who leads the poll with a wide margin. The working families Party will also support a list of progressive candidates and encourage voters to “dream” – do not arrange from Eric or Andrew to the mayor. Many candidates, including Mr. Mamdani, support the idea.
Mr. Como has already nominated against the “far left” an advantage in his campaign without mentioning Mr. Mamdani by name. The former ruler often calls the police to “three stupid words in politics”, although some police reforms have occurred. In contrast, Mr. Mamdani called for some discounts to spend the police in areas such as the Communications Office and strategic response groups.
Trip Yang, a democratic strategic expert who is not associated with any municipal campaign, said that Mr. Mamdani’s communication with young voters in Brooklyn and Koins, and increasing attention from voters and Muslims in Southeast Asia, could provide voters in an invisible manner in modern memory.
“His policy proposals do not seem radical,” said Mr. Yang, referring to the ability to withstand the costs of Mr. Mamdani. “The only extreme thing in Zahran is probably his open democratic socialist affiliation.”
Democratic Democrats in New York City sees it as positive. The group added 1500 new members of racist and age groups more diverse since Mr. Mamdani supported in October. They referred to Mr. Mamdani’s hot confrontation to Tom Human, the best immigration group at the White House, in the Capitol building in Albani recently as a moment when he succeeded in directing many frustration of many New York residents.
“People want to fight, defend their rights and combat authoritarian policies of the Trump administration,” said Gustavo Gertello, co -chair of the group. “But this is not enough – we also have a vision to go to the attack, and the Zahran campaign has provided a means of that vision.”
Some of Mr. Mamdani’s competitors have noticed his potential, and sought to attack him as he may be weak.
New York City is home to the largest number of Jewish population outside Israel, and Mr. Mamdani has been criticized for accusing Israel of the genocide in the war in Gaza. A draft law prohibiting charities in New York has sponsored the financing of some organizations that he said linked to “Israeli war crimes.”
Whitney Tilson, director of hedge funds and mayor’s candidate, sent an email to collect funds recently with the “Stop Mamdani” topic line, citing “identical left platform”, “fire discourse against NYPD and Israel” and support from professors at the University of Columbia, where his father was a professor. The Trump administration accused the University of not doing enough to suppress anti -Semitism on the campus.
But Mr. Mamdani’s opponents also have their own weaknesses to deal with them.
In some mosques where Mr. Mamdani appeared, the members approached stories, and sometimes pictures of Mr. Adams talking to them. Remember how the mayor talked about growth in a working class family and pledged that his administration would be about “providing the dignity that was rejected” in the city hall.
“The reason for this moment is that he betrayed these voters,” said Mr. Mamdani from the mayor. “We are trying to keep our promise.”
