Picking On Mamdani For All The Wrong Reasons

Zohran Mamdani’s surprise victory in the Democratic mayoral primary for the New York City, has indeed stunned the city’s elite. Mamdani defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo and emerged as the frontrunner in a race that all but guarantees his path to the City Hall as a Democratic nominee. Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist and Queens assemblyman, won a record-setting primary victory, and unions, grassroots Democratic groups, and savvy elected officials are rushing to back him.

However, what puzzles one is the unexpected campaign launched by the city’s elite, including the wealthiest and most influential citizens of the city, who are up in arms against Mamdani. This also reflects the real face of the American society and the people who control it.

Apparently, Mamdani ran his primary campaign based on his ideas and suggestions to improve the city. But in fact, most of these proposals have been raised in the past too but have not been implemented.

In fact, nearly all his cost-of-living proposals have been enacted or attempted in some form or the other in New York or elsewhere in the US. Former NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio tried freezing the rent on the city’s stabilised units three times, in 2015, 2016, and 2020. Raising the minimum wage for workers? Following a decade of increases approved in Albany, the city’s minimum wage hit $16.50, this year. Mamdani’s call for free public buses sounds similar to the MTA’s Fair Fares programme, which currently lets low-income New Yorkers ride for half-price. And an estimated 3 million hungry New Yorkers get 1.6 million government-supplied meals every day through federal SNAP benefits, so opening five government-owned grocery stores (one in each borough) is more like a tiny welfare project.  

Mamdani’s threat to tax wealthy New Yorkers also sounds familiar, bills promising to do exactly that have repeatedly been introduced in Albany for at least a decade; but all died at the committee stage. It is also worth noting that in 2021, the then-candidate for mayor, Adams called for a special tax on ultrawealthy New Yorkers. “If you make more than $5 million a year, we are asking you to pay a little more to stabilise our city,” he said at the time, a suggestion he promptly dropped after taking office.

Meanwhile, business leaders are warning that Mamdani’s platform—including proposals for city-run grocery stores and a freeze on rents in regulated units—poses a threat to New York’s economic future. Some of New York City’s wealthiest business leaders and political power players in emergency mode, are pouring money into independent groups determined to block his victory in the general election, the Wall Street Journal reported.

At least one new group—New Yorkers for a Better Future Mayor 25—has been formed with a war chest of $20 million, according to sources familiar with the effort. It’s just one of several anti-Mamdani efforts being planned by figures including Pershing Square CEO Bill Ackman and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Another effort, led by Giuliani and former NYPD detective Bo Dietl, is aiming to raise $10 million. But while these financiers are aligned in opposition to Mamdani, they have yet to unite behind a single rival candidate.

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon labelled Mamdani’s politics “more Marxist than socialist” and dismissed his agenda as “ideological mush.” Yet as donors mobilise to fight him, political strategists worry that the barrage of outside money could backfire, feeding into Mamdani’s anti-establishment narrative and turning voters off from billionaire-backed campaigns.

However, most important is to understand how did Mamdani secure such a historic victory? In fact, he did exactly what national Democrats, stunned by the party’s defeats in the 2024 presidential and congressional elections, keep saying they know they must do, but have never done that. “Zohran Mamdani talked about issues of relevance to working-class people. The city responded to him, and he won the [primary],” explained Senator Bernie Sanders, the independent senator from Vermont and two-time presidential candidate.

Mamdani is a democratic socialist – like Sanders and US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). Yes, he has taken bold, progressive stands on economic issues while advocating for international and domestic human rights. But, as the primary results illustrate, he is also a very popular Democratic nominee for one of the highest-profile elected positions in the United States.

Despite that fact, Democratic congressional leaders who come from New York City, such as Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer and House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, have yet to endorse Mamdani. Nor have other prominent New York Democrats, such as Governor Kathy Hochul and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand—though the latter did make Islamophobic remarks about Mamdani that she later apologised for. And some Democrats who represent suburban communities, such as US Representative Laura Gillen, have been outspoken in their criticism of a party nominee whom they disagree with on issues ranging from tax policy and US support for the Israeli assault on Gaza.

The reluctance of prominent Democrats to formally endorse the party’s nominee has led to complaints from progressives. “It’s time for every Democratic leader to get on board,” says New York Working Families Party codirector Jasmine Gripper.

The obvious frustration expressed by the city’s elite and wealthiest citizens on Mamdani’s victory, reflects the fact that whatever the leaders and builders of the American society may proclaim, the reality is completely opposite to that.

Mamdani’s campaign promises have been termed as Soviet style taking over of America, even the lack of support by Democrat’s Socialist wing exemplifies the fact that none is willing to break the status quo and contribute to the less fortunate sections of the society. Moreover, his India-roots and stand on Gaza have been instrumental in the Islamophobic and Israel-hater slurs against Mamdani.

This shows that all said and done the American society is still not able to accept someone on merit and his promise of reforms and welfare of the poor. Most just want to line their own pockets and speak rhetorically about labelling him as antisemitic. Democracy in its true form has yet to take roots in America. 

The writer is a New Delhi-based senior commentator on national, international, defence and strategic affairs, environmental issues, an interfaith practitioner, and a media consultant