Vámonos, Muchacho! Let’s Go, Zohran! Climbing on the Mamdani Bandwagon! 

Zohran Mamdani’s recent win in New York City’s Democratic Party primary election — perhaps the biggest upset in modern New York electoral history — has galvanized voters around the country, not just in NYC. This astounding feat makes him the frontrunner in a city where Democrats usually win. If he succeeds in the November 4 election, he will be the first ethnic Indian and first Muslim in that role!

Zohran’s star power, charisma, and focus on pocketbook issues — free child care, free buses, city owned grocery stores, raising the minimum wage, rent-freeze, cracking down on bad landlords and slumlords, supporting homeowners, and making the city safer and more affordable — has resonated deeply with lower income-voters who feel seen and heard, many for the first time! 

What is more remarkable is that, by coming out in droves for the articulate 33-year-old self-described socialist, voters were punishing the Democratic Party’s old guard for their support of Israel’s Netanyahu regime. That might sound odd in a city of one million Jews with emotional and political ties to Israel — especially when foreign policy is not on the ballot — but both Jewish and Muslim voters have said they were appalled at Israel’s atrocities in Gaza and were drawn to Mamdani, not only for embracing bread-and-butter issues, but for his steadfast opposition to the war in Gaza. Many added that they voted for him because of his positions on Israel and dismay at U.S. support.  

Outperforming in every Demographic

Zohran outperformed with all demos: from young, leftist highly educated White voters to middle- and low-income immigrants from South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, as well as Jewish, Black, and Hispanic communities. As an ethnic Indian (with some knowledge of Hindi, Urdu, and Bangla) and as an Ugandan Asian (with a second name of Kwame and a smattering of Swahili), he has reached across diverse communities and helped expand the electorate, engaging new and underrepresented groups while increasing the share of first-time voters to nearly 25 percent. (This number may rise when final results come in). 

Although foreign policy was not the foremost issue, his opponents (including financial elites and media outlets) tried to use his positions on Israel to turn Jewish voters against him: every time he spoke about free child care or bus rides, there would be questions on Gaza or globalizing the Intifada!

Mamdani does not hedge. He is forthright about Indian leader Modi and Israel’s Netanyahu being “war criminals” (see notes below). He makes it clear that you can be pro-India even if against Modi’s anti-minority agenda, just as you can be pro-Semite, pro-Gaza, pro-Palestine, pro-two state solution — while still being anti-Zionist and anti-Bibi! (Sorry if that makes your head spin)! He has repeatedly said that he supports Israel’s right to exist as a state with equal rights for all — but continues to be labeled an anti-Semite by lawmakers of both parties!

Changing Party Politics 

Running on a timely "affordability" platform, Zohran and his fiercely progressive team persuaded record numbers of first-time voters to show up on the hottest NYC summer days to campaign and vote! He represents a drastic change with energetic Millennial and Gen Z newcomers who, through grassroots organizing, overcame a 25-to-1 funding disadvantage. They are a generation with fresh ideas using their voice to shape the future. By voting and getting others invested, they have justifiably earned a stake in law-making: in city government, state capitals, and Congress. Cities with diverse populations across the country are taking note!

Pro-migrant Mamdani is also likely to do a better job of defending the city against Trump/ICE anti-immigration vendettas than the exhausted NY Dem establishment. In the face of severe Federal spending cuts, he will need to lead a pragmatic drive for fiscal independence.  

Faith and Ethnicity 

His Indian ethnicity and Muslim Shia faith notwithstanding, Zohran’s social background is left-liberal, secular, high-income, and privileged — as is the case for many desis (people of Indian/South Asian origin) who moved to or grew up Stateside. 

His father, Mahmood Mamdani — a distinguished Columbia University prof (international affairs, anthropology, post colonial studies) whose Gujarati Muslim family emigrated to Uganda from India — grew up in Uganda and Tanzania and studied in Africa and the U.S. His Hindu mother, Mira Nair, an award winning film director, has made financially and critically successful movies for both Hollywood and Bollywood. 

Born in Uganda, Zohran moved with his family to the U.S. at age seven. He went to NY’s Bronx High School of Science and to Maine-based Bowdoin, a private liberal arts college. Naturalized as an American citizen in 2018, he worked as a housing and foreclosure prevention counselor, helping low-income homeowners in Queens avoid eviction. It was a life lesson that inspired him to run for office. He entered politics in 2020 by defeating a four-term incumbent to the NY state Assembly and was re-elected twice more before running for mayor.

Once a hiphop musician using the name “Mr. Cardamom,” Zohran produced the soundtrack for his mother Mira Nair’s 2016 film, Queen of Katwe, for which he was nominated for a music award. His presence on social media, relaxed and easy manner in front of TV cameras, and use of Hindi, Urdu, Bangla, and Spanish phrases in his remarks helped connect him with mixed race audiences. But the innovative use of Bollywood themes and music (including scenes from Hindi film, Deewar, with ads in Hindi, Urdu, and Bangla) reportedly sent them wild! 

Democratic Socialism

As for Mamdani’s much maligned “democratic socialism,” he has accurately pointed out the decline in living standards: education and health care services, public safety, economic security, income inequality, and the shrinking of the middle class. Even if people find the term “socialism” objectionable, they still love the idea of a minimum wage one can live on, affordable healthcare and education, less gun violence, intellectual freedom, an equitable tax system, and the prospect of a better future. 

Consider NYC’s exorbitant housing crisis: a condo the size of a 350 square foot hotel room can cost more in the city than a family home in parts of upstate NY; and rentals can run from about $1,500 to over $3,000 a month for the same tiny claustrophobic closet of a room! Seen in that context, the $30 minimum wage Zohran has proposed — in a city that costs considerably more to live in than much of the country — is not as outrageous as it may sound!

Unfavorable Legacy Media 

Predictably, the legacy media (Washington Post, New York Times) have lined up with the "Stop Mamdani" crowd. A Washington Post editorial warned readers not to vote for him because “New York cannot take its greatness for granted. Mismanagement can ruin it.” As Paul Krugman (who won the 2008 Nobel for economics) pointed out, Zohran may be unknown and untested but, thus far, he has shown composure and savvy in the face of endless vitriol coming his way. Although building consensus for his platform will be tough when confronted with political reality and constraints, he is likely to be more thoughtful and less self-serving than his opponents!

The press in India — which mirrors the Modi regime’s Hindu-centrist identity politics — has mostly ignored Mamdani because he is Muslim! A Wire (India) article talks about the fuss made over former UK leaders Rishi Sunak and Priti Patel whose names are Hindu but whose knowledge of Indian culture is nonexistent. But now that Zohran is the presumptive Democratic nominee for NYC mayor — and has been very critical of Modi — he will be harder to ignore!

Road Ahead

Zohran’s success has caused a meltdown among city powerbrokers, hedge fund managers, real estate developers, and other financial and political elites who thought they had the win in the bag. The Democratic leadership prefers to stay with scandal-mired candidates (details below), former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams. Nearly $30 million was spent on Cuomo who is expected to run again in the general election as an independent as will Adams — both no doubt with substantial party, corporate, and trade union support!  

Cuomo and Adams are probably calculating that they stand a better chance of beating Zohran in November as the city’s full electorate would be significantly different from Democratic primary voters and that Zohran’s policy ideas will receive increased media scrutiny. If they turn on each other, it may favor Zohran. A divided race might also help Curtis Sliwa, Republican nominee and talk radio vigilante. 

There’s no telling what Trump and the MAGA base may do to muddy the waters including a dose of ugly xenophobia: on June 27, GOP Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) urged the Trump administration to investigate and deport “little muhammad” Zohran for joining the Democratic Socialists before becoming a citizen and for his rap lyrics; others in the MAGA camp invoked 9/11, unsubtly implying that all Muslims are jihadists. 

Nor can one rule out other kinds of direct or indirect election interference by proxies of Israel and (less likely) India!  It wouldn’t be the first time despite strict laws against it. Stay tuned! 

Ludi Joseph

Washington, D.C.

June 28, 2025

War Criminals: 

Modi: Zohran has called India’s Modi a war criminal for helping “to orchestrate what was a mass slaughter of Muslims in Gujarat” in 2002. 1,000 Muslims died when he was chief minister. Allegations that he stoked the violence or did nothing to stop it have overshadowed Modi’s career, resulting in the denial of a visa to visit the U.S. before he was prime minister. 

Netanyahu: Zohran has said that Israel’s Netanyahu should be arrested as an indicted war criminal if he visits NYC. Netanyahu is blamed for the continued killing and maiming of Gazans and the deliberate destruction of civilian life and property in Gaza.  More than 56,000 people (half of them women and children) have died in the past two years. The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for him.

Scandals:

Eric Adams: in September 2024, NYC Mayor Adams was indicted on federal charges for soliciting campaign contributions and bribes from Turkish nationals including receiving more than $100,000 worth of plane tickets and luxury hotel stays. Although Trump’s Justice Department intervened to dismiss charges, Adams is tainted with rumors of a quid pro quo and collaboration with Trump amid record-low job approval ratings. He was dubbed “Mayor of Istanbul” by the tabloids!

Andrew Cuomo resigned as New York Governor in 2021 after a report by Attorney General Leticia James found he sexually harassed several women, including state employees. Although charges were dropped, he has both acknowledged wrongdoing and denied misconduct! In 2025, he decided to run for NYC mayor. Backed by the corporate elite and trade unions, he outspent Mamdani but still lost. The tabloid press have given him colorful nicknames: Prince of Darkness, Lov Gov, Groper!

Zohran Mamdani, Democratic Nominee for NYC Mayor