Zohran Mamdani Defeated a Corrupt, Weak Democratic Party Establishment

Zohran Mamdani proved to be a superb campaigner with a message about affordability that resonated with voters. Cuomo, by contrast, was aloof and seemed to try to see as little of voters as he could get away with. Perhaps he felt that as a former governor, the job was beneath him. Like the 2024 presidential election, the mayoral primaries were a change election. Winning depended on harnessing voter anger. It's notable that Mamdani seems to have done well with the demographics that had shifted away from the Democratic Party in 2024, including young people (particularly young men), Asians, and Latinos.