Zohran Mamdani Speaks

Recent comments by Ran Grim in his Drop Site blog underline how significant this win is for Mamdani and what he potentially face in the upcoming mayoral election:

“For decades, the pro-Israel lobby has operated on a simple principle: any politician who deviated from their line would be destroyed. Yet a $25 million super PAC and a national campaign to paint Zohran Mamdani as an antisemite backfired in New York City, with Andrew Cuomo getting trounced so thoroughly he is reconsidering whether to run as an independent in the general election, as he had previously planned to do. The fight is far from over, however.

“Mamdani faced seemingly insurmountable odds. The political establishment mobilized every weapon in their arsenal to stop him. Dubbed Fix the City, a super PAC received $500,000 from pro-Israel billionaire and Trump supporter Bill Ackman. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, another staunch Israel supporter, contributed a whopping $8 million to the group.

“Now the billionaire class is in full panic mode. The morning after Mamdani’s victory, Ackman ominously posted: “We are looking into legal issues… legal issues concerning the potential for another candidate to run now.”

Ackman wrote on X on Thursday morning:

“[T]here are hundreds of million[s] of dollars of capital available to back a competitor to Mamdani that can be put together overnight (believe me, I am in the text strings and the WhatsApp groups) so that a great alternative candidate won’t spend any time raising funds.

“So, if the right candidate would raise his or her hand tomorrow, the funds will pour in. I am sure that Mike Bloomberg will share his how-to-win-the-mayoralty IP and deliver his entire election apparatus and system to the aspiring candidate so that the candidate can focus all of his or her energy on the campaign.

“One unfortunate fact, as far as I understand, is that the candidate will have to be a write-in as I believe that none of the current candidates established a nominating committee if they were to withdraw, which means that no one can take their spot on the ballot. This is such an important election, however, that I believe the write-in requirement could actually turn into an important call to action that brings people in throngs to the polls. It therefore won’t be the game stopper it would normally be in a typical election.

“As a result, the risk/reward of running for mayor over the next 132 days is extremely compelling as the cost in time and energy is small, and the upside is enormous. If the candidate does not win, there is no harm, no foul, because the perceived probability of beating the Democratic nominee in a NYC mayoral election is extremely small. Therefore, there is no reputational risk to losing this election, and the corresponding reputational benefits are extraordinary whether one wins or loses.

“If the candidate wins, this is obviously a huge home run for the City and the candidate, but it is also an opportunity to save the Democratic Party from itself, grabbing the wheel just before the party goes even further off the cliff. The new mayor would be a national superhero for the City, for the Party, and for the country.

“For the aspiring politician, there is no better way to get name recognition, build relationships with long-term donors, and to showcase oneself than to run for mayor over the next 132 days. This election is already global front page news. For the aspiring young candidate, the amount of publicity and the massive followers to be gained are of incalculable long-term value whether they win or lose, and whatever they choose to do in the future, business, politics or otherwise.

“And there is a defensive reason for a politician to run. For the more centrist Democrat politician, a Mamdani win is very bad for your next election. As the Party veers further to the left, the Party’s backing for your future candidacy deteriorates substantially as Mamdani and AOC take control of the Party.

“In my experience, opportunities with minimal downside that don’t require huge investments of time while offering massive upside get filled. If you were ever thinking about running for office, or running for a higher office than you currently hold, this is likely the best opportunity that you are going to have.

“All of the above is not just theory, as I have a superb candidate who I believe can win who meets all of the criteria, but if I were to say his name or even reach out to him, it would have a negative effect on his candidacy, as I am a supporter of President Trump, and that alone taints anyone I would recommend for many and perhaps most NYC Democratic Party members. So rather than me making suggestions, I welcome yours.

“Who is your best centrist candidate who could go toe-to-toe with Mamdani on the campaign trail and on the debate stage? Let’s crowdsource the names and then do a poll.

“If someone is ready to raise their hand, I will take care of the fundraising.”

In a reent fundraising email with the subject line “Zohran Mamdani”, Senator Bernie Sanders argued that “we cannot stop with just one primary victory in New York City,” and promoted candidates including Abdul El-Sayed, a U.S. Senate hopeful in Michigan, and Troy Jackson, who is running for governor of Maine.

“The political future of our country rests upon the very simple principles that working people need to stand together EVERYWHERE to fight back against corporate greed and create an economy that works for all of us, and not just billionaires and large corporations,” he said. “We need to elect people up and down the ballot who have the guts not only to stand up to Trumpism, but to take on the monied interests and fight for a working class that has been ignored for far too long.”

The prospect of a socialist Muslim mayor running a city in the capitalist heart of the country is unthinkable to some. This fight is just heating up.

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