NEW YORK − Some point to his viral social media clips. Others cite his Obama-esque profile, giving young voters something to believe in. Maybe it’s just his dimples.
Zohran Mamdani shocked political and business establishment by winning the Nov. 4 New York City mayoral election as a democratic socialist, leading many to wonder how it happened.
In interviews with allies, strategists and observers, Mamdani, a 34-year-old state assemblyman from Queens, ran a disciplined campaign across all five boroughs, flanked by an unusually large army of volunteers for a municipal race.
His winning message offered easily understood ideas for cutting the cost of living in the notoriously expensive city and his universal outreach helped win over skeptical constituencies.
It's a dramatic shift from moderate Mayor Eric Adams, who won just four years ago, and a flashback to Adams' progressive predecessor Bill de Blasio, who ran on addressing economic inequality.
