Mamdani gained traction where organizing infrastructure exists and where his message reached people. Bed-Stuy and Park Slope didn’t go for him despite rent issues, they went for him because the left has a real presence there. The rent freeze wasn’t aimed at wealthy co-ops. It was part of a broader message about dignity for working people. Same with transit: it wasn’t just about bus routes in Greenwood, it was a citywide call for free and reliable service.
Your rent freeze point flips basic politics on its head. The people paying the highest rents aren’t usually the ones demanding rent freezes, they’re the ones least likely to be impacted. The rent freeze resonated most where renters are vulnerable, where tenant organizing is strong, and where people are struggling with rent hikes, not in the wealthiest ZIP codes.
You even said you were surprised that East Flatbush went for Cuomo, when anyone with a basic grasp of the race knew that Cuomo’s base of support came largely from Black voters. That’s not some niche local insight; it was one of the most widely reported dynamics of the primary. Acting like this disproves Mamdani’s message just shows how disconnected your frame is from actual organizing and political reality.
As for your “eyeball analysis." you don’t even live in NYC anymore. Meanwhile, plenty of actual New Yorkers, including journalists and organizers, have made the same points I’m making. That two board posters disagree with me doesn’t invalidate the broader takeaway. You keep leaning on lived experience, but apparently only yours counts.
If all this leads you to call me MAGA and say I’m embarrassing myself, maybe it’s because the argument isn’t going your way, and you know it.
He’s not calling you MAGA. He’s saying your argument is similar to MAGA statements and arguments - heavy on assumptions or bias and light on facts. That’s how I read his comments.
You often repeat four points in why Mamdani won:
- Housing costs
- Transit needs
- Care infrastructure
- Economic dignity
Without a doubt, those topics resonated with many voters (although many likely were scratching their heads over just WTF “care infrastructure” and “economic dignity” mean). And, I realize Mamdani might not have used such terms.
What you haven’t mentioned is that a HUGE percentage of NYC citizens were just done with Andrew Cuomo (they helped force him out of the governor’s office).
Cuomo was the unwanted candidate. He’s kinda like if Bill Clinton ran for a U.S. Senate seat after the “Me, Too” movement.
Who was the prominent black candidate in the race? There were a few not prominent ones.
Who was the prominent Latino candidate?
My point is Mamdani won the primary; he didn’t beat a strong field.
Since Mamdani is the Democratic candidate, he has a great shot at winning the General Election.
Eric Adams is running as an Independent. He’s a tarnished candidate.
There’s a boring ass white guy who was a federal prosecutor, IIRC, and for about 20 years a successful corporate attorney.
Then, there is Curtis Sliwa, a right-wing loon who will run on law-and-order, anti-immigration, and a “white working class” type of populism - not racism (it’s NYC)….it’ll be aggrievement.
I just heard Mamdani say he’ll make NYC more affordable and SAFER. I guarantee that if Sliwa runs, it’ll include make NYC safer.
Now, if Sliwa drops out and the boring ass white lawyer gets the GOP nomination, it could get interesting.
Wanted to add: a huge percentage of Cuomo’s pro-vote was that voters knew who he was in a race of either unknowns or boring ass politicians no one cares about. A huge percentage of the anti-Cuomo voters didn’t like him at all.
