the counter-elite wobbles
things right now 54—week of 11.03.25
Democratic Socialism or Mamdani wins NYC mayoral election
The Most Important Graph in America or 20 Years of Price Changes in the U.S.
Young Americans Prefer Socialism or Cato’s 2025 Fiscal Policy National Survey
America First or young Republicans’ self-identification
Anti-'Woke Right' or Ben Shapiro on Tucker Carlson and Nick Fuentes
The totally predictable has happened. Zohran Mamdani is now the mayor-elect of New York City.
Why was it totally predictable?
Andrew Cuomo, the unpopular former-governor of New York who resigned in disgrace just four short years ago, already lost to Mamdani in the Democratic primary in June.
Mamdani ran on the sort of affordability and cost-of-living issues that helped Trump win the 2024 presidential election, but with a left populist spin.
New York City is the epicenter of the Democratic Socialists of America, one leg of Zohran’s support base. The DSA famously attracts white, college-educated voters.
Like Zohran, who is both an immigrant and a child of immigrants, 38 percent of New York City is foreign-born. Half of all children in the city live with a foreign-born parent. Just under half (48%) of residents were born in New York State with even fewer born in the city itself. His immigrant identity was a centerpiece of his campaign.
A talented newcomer faced-off against an unpopular machine politician. He shares an ideology with white-collar bourgeois-bohemians and an identity with the city’s working class. His platform promises to solve the one problem nearly everyone in New York shares: the rent (and more broadly, the cost of living) is too damn high.
Cuomo’s campaign was primarily reactionary. He accused Mamdani of anti-semitism, dug up questionable tweets, and put a spotlight on extremist allies.
But no one cared.
This shouldn’t surprise anyone. In a post-cancellation world, offensive statements and unpopular associates are not disqualifying.
Donald Trump taught us that. "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose any voters." Zohran could, too.
In the coming days, expect posts, op-eds, and podcasts dissecting Mamdani’s victory and searching for clues about the midterms and the next presidential election. Is this another vibe shift?