Peter Cunningham

Self-described Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani cruised to victory in the New York City Democratic Mayoral Primary, trouncing legacy Democrat Andrew Cuomo by 12 points. What does it mean for a political party with a deeply unpopular brand? What does it mean for progressive politics? And what does it mean for New York City?

Party labels aside, Mamdani ran on affordability — the ultimate bread and butter issue. Sure, there were promises of free government services and rent freezes that smacked of far-left utopia, but the policy specifics are secondary to the broader message and the basic promise at the heart of his campaign: Mamdani will focus on the everyday cost of living. Every Democrat should take notice.

We should also note how Mamdani won. The mainstream media was all lined up against him but he went straight to the people through social media. If that strategy rings a bell, it’s because Donald Trump did the same thing in 2016 and he’s been doing it ever since. Hope the DNC noticed.

Mamdani still needs to win the general election and the last thing he should do is assume that it’s in the bag. Once he wins, however, he should surround himself with pros who know where the bodies are buried and can help him take care of the basics like reliable public transit, efficient garbage collection, and effective public safety. The fatal flaw for progressive mayors around the country is that they allow performative politics to overshadow the everyday core functions of local government. Put another way, if you neglect the basics to please the base, you end up in the basement. (Brilliant! )

Mamdani might also take a cue from Lincoln and think about hiring Brad Lander as Chief of Staff or Deputy Mayor. He understands math and knows the city budget cold. Beyond that, Mamdani should really make sure he understands what powers the New York economy. How much is tied to Wall Street? How much is tied to professional services like law, accounting and architecture? How much does the creative economy drive tourism? And what is really left in the blue collar sector? Can he help it thrive? Reach out to everyone and get their input on how to best fund an agenda that keeps New York strong and growing.

A mayor wins — not by getting his way on everything — but by uniting people at odds and helping people reach consensus. Big unrealized dreams reinforce the narrative that progressives don’t know how to get stuff done. Prove them wrong. Find short-term wins that people can see and feel to set the table for the long-term change. Extra bases and home runs are always nice but baseball games are won with singles and walks.

I grew up in New York City in the 1960’s and ’70’s when the city went bankrupt and crime was through the roof. I still loved it — even at its dingiest, dirtiest and most dangerous. I’d still put New York ahead of every city in Europe for pure energy and magnificent diversity. I always rooted for New York. I’m still rooting for it today.