Zohran Mamdani has been elected mayor of New York, the USA’s most populous city. Mamdani, 34, is a self-professed Democratic Socialist and a Muslim. He was elected with just a shade over 50% of the vote in a 3-way race with former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
How did New York City, arguably the world capital of capitalism, elect a Democratic Socialist (on a good day) and a Communist (on a bad day) mayor? If one takes issue with the word Communist, I would submit as evidence Mamdani’s statement that “you must seize the means of production” (emphasis supplied).
Mamdani ran on a platform including free childcare up to and including age 5, a rent freeze on the city’s over 1 million rent-controlled apartments, free (and “fast”) bus service, and government-run grocery stores.
When you break the race down by income groups, the results are surprising and informative. Mr. Cuomo won among the lowest income group (under $30,000 by 50% to 42%) and the highest income group ($300,000 or more, 62% to 38%). However, the former governor lost everywhere in between to the young Socialist. Among the $30,000 to $49,999 group, Mamdani won (52% to 40%).
Among the $50,000 to $99,999 group and the $100,000-$199,999 group, Mamdani won 58% to 38%. Among the $200,999-$299,999 annual income group, Mamdani won 56% to 42%. So Mamdani won decisively among all but the lowest and highest income groups.
When broken down by age groups, Mamdani won 18 to 29-year-olds 77% to 20% and among the 30-44 age group, 70% to 27%. Cuomo carried the 45-64 age group 49% to 47% and those 65 and over voted for Cuomo 54% to 38%.
Lastly, when broken down by ethnicity, Cuomo carried the white vote 49% to 47%. Mamdani carried the black vote 55% to 40%. The Hispanic/Latino voted 52% to 40% for Mamdani, Asians voted 60% to 35%, and “others” voted 52% to 45%i.
In summary, in an overwhelmingly Democrat city, Mamdani won every group except the poorest and the richest and won by a landslide among young people under 45. It also helped that he was running against Andrew Cuomo, a disgraced former governor whom very few people actually liked. Much of Cuomo’s vote was strictly anti-Mamdani.
Why did Mamdani do so well with young people (roughly ¾ of voters under age 45)? One reason is that they have not been taught in school or in the broader culture that socialism never works.
At least socialism has never worked so far in improving the living standards of the general populace. Even democratic Socialism, which is brought on by the vote of the people (the United Kingdom), has never improved the economic situation of the general population. Britain’s post-World War II stagnation (with a brief reprieve under Prime Minister Thatcher) is a prime example. As Winston Churchill once famously observed, “The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings. The inherent virtue of socialism is the equal division of misery.”
Mamdani faces a herculean task of trying to run a city that has been run dismally by its last two mayors. New York City was well run with improving conditions during the administrations of Rudy Guiliani (1994-2001) and Michael Bloomberg (2002-2013). Unfortunately, Mayor DeBlasio (2014-2021) and Eric Adams (2022- ) have been disastrous mayors of New York City and have left it with numerous crises.
One reason Mamdani won was identified years ago by Sidney Hook, a New York University philosophy professor. Hook had been a Marxist in his youth, but matured into a leading critic. In his 1987 autobiography Out of Step: An Unquiet Life in the 20th Century, Hook pointed out that, like many others, he judged “capitalism by its operations and socialism by its hopes and aspirations; capitalism by its works and socialism by its literature.”
Based on history, Mr. Mamdani and the people of New York are in for a very rough time. He has announced his transition team, and they include three former de Blasio administrators, a former Biden staffer and a former Adams staffer.
Furthermore, Mamdani actually has talked about “nullification,” a failed theory promoted by Confederates to “nullify” federal laws with which they disagree. Before Mamdani decides to “nullify” federal authority on immigration or anything else, he should read the Constitution and then read what happened to Gov. Faubus of Arkansas, Gov. Barnett of Mississippi, Gov. Wallace of Alabama, and Gov. Maddox of Georgia. The question of whether federal law is supreme in all fifty states was settled by the Civil War!
I fear New York City faces some terribly troubled days ahead. President Trump does understand the supremacy clause and New York is his hometown. He will do what he can to protect it from the severe and sad consequences of Marxism.
Dr. Richard Land, BA (Princeton, magna cum laude); D.Phil. (Oxford); Th.M (New Orleans Seminary). Dr. Land served as President of Southern Evangelical Seminary from July 2013 until July 2021. Upon his retirement, he was honored as President Emeritus and he continues to serve as an Adjunct Professor of Theology & Ethics. Dr. Land previously served as President of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (1988-2013) where he was also honored as President Emeritus upon his retirement. Dr. Land has also served as an Executive Editor and columnist for The Christian Post since 2011.
Dr. Land explores many timely and critical topics in his daily radio feature, “Bringing Every Thought Captive,” and in his weekly column for CP.
