SUBSCRIBER-ONLY NEWSLETTER
By Frank Bruni
Mr. Bruni is a contributing Opinion writer who was on the staff of The Times for more than 25 years.
I guess we’re going to be talking about Zohran Mamdani for every hour of every day for the foreseeable future, and I can certainly see why. A 33-year-old political larva, he’s nonetheless well positioned to become mayor of the most populous and consequential city in the most powerful country on Earth. He’s a great story and he matters. Hugely.
But he’s no harbinger. No template. Mamdani’s fate in November 2025 will hold few clues and limited lessons for Democrats in November 2026, because New York City is not the United States. And we can’t afford to overlook that, because November 2026 is everything.
