Ruwa Romman represents part of the Atlanta suburbs in the Georgia statehouse, but earlier this summer, she was knocking on doors in the Bronx because she saw New York City’s mayoral race as part of a national battle. By working to elect Zohran Mamdani, Romman hoped she was working to reshape the Democratic Party — and U.S. politics writ large.
One voter told Romman he was hesitant about Mamdani, 33, because he values experience. As they talked, a neighbor ran over. He wanted to make his own argument: “You better vote for him! … Anybody who’s willing to stand up for babies in Gaza is absolutely going to have your back.” Romman, a Palestinian American, teared up.
Mamdani triumphed in the mayoral primary, defying opponents who called him extreme for condemning Israel’s U.S.-backed offensive in Gaza. For Romman and others, the win marked a vital shift. Last year, as part of the “Uncommitted” movement — which organized hundreds of thousands of voters to tie support for the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee to their positions on Gaza — they spent months arguing the Democratic Party risked votes over Joe Biden’s unchecked support for the unpopular Israeli campaign. Their supporters included Mamdani. The party never reconsidered the policy.
