Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the 2025 Democratic Primary for Mayor of New York City was one that shook the political landscape. A little known democratic socialist, Mamdani shocked the political establishment with a remarkable victory over former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in a victory lauded by progressive Democrats. While undoubtedly momentous, it is not unheard of for the state to host earth-shattering progressive triumphs, with the following showing how New York has become a home for left-wing luminaries.
Zohran Mamdani (New York City Democratic Mayoral Primary, 2025)
Mamdani’s shock underdog win in the New York Mayoral primary capped off an eventful campaign.
An unpopular Eric Adams, previously indicted on corruption charges, dropped out of the race when dwindling in the single figures, to launch an independent bid. By that point, Andrew Cuomo was always the established front-runner in the race, polling over 50%, more than double that of closest competitor, state assemblyman Mamdani.
In his campaign, Mamdani harnessed the power of social media to mobilise a strong youth base. His platform, which advocated, a New York “affordable for everyone” called for a progressive taxation policy to provide free buses, rent freezes, and city-owned grocery stores. His pro-Palestine messaging has also resonated deeply with young voters dissatisfied with the establishment’s continued support for Israel’s military bombardment in Gaza. Shortly before polling day, one survey showed 60% of 18-34-year-olds ranking Mamdami first, compared to just 10% for Cuomo.
Though Cuomo campaigned attacking Mamdani’s lack of experience and highlighting his own – after all, he had a large profile as New York Governor for over a decade – this left his open to obvious attacks on his previous record. Mamdani’s popularity was doubtless boosted by his performance in the two debates, in which he made some notable attacks against Cuomo and his record including cuts to Medicaid, the cover-up of nursing home deaths during Covid, and – maybe most notably – the many allegations of sexual harassment that had forced him to resign four years previously.
Mamdani’s rise prompted panicked forces to flock to Cuomo, who secured the endorsement of Bill Clinton and was funded by Republican super PACs and millionaire donors, including Michael Bloomberg.
Another factor working in the socialist’s favour was the voting system: ranked choice voting. In this, voters rank preferences from 1-5, allowing candidates to work collaboratively. Mamdani thus worked with like-minded candidates, especially fellow progressive Brad Lander, who cross-promoted each other’s campaigns to prevent a Cuomo victory.
Though polls showed Mamdani and Cuomo neck and neck, on election day, Mamdani won 43.5% of first-round preferences, a 7% lead over Cuomo. With Lander third at 11.3% (with many of his supporters likely putting Zohran second), Cuomo conceded to the man 34 years his junior.
The win was likened to the dramatic 1989 Mayoral primary where David Dinkins defeated three-term incumbent Ed Koch. Bernie Sanders, the father of the progressive moment, called it “one of the great political victories in modern history”, while Jacobin magazine noted that: “Absorbing the key lessons of this campaign is essential for the fights ahead, not just in New York City but across the United States.”
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (New York 14th Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2018)
Much as Mamdani’s win was a grassroots protest against the Democratic establishment’s lack of pushback against Trump after the reinvigorated authority of his second term, today, one of the most popular progressives won their seat during a left-wing insurgency.
By 2018, Joe Crowley was the number four Democrat in the US House. The Democratic Caucus Chair and younger than many of his leadership contemporaries, Crowley was thus viewed by many as a Speaker-in-waiting who would have a large role in the party going forward.
However, that year, the ten-term incumbent – who won with nearly 75% of the vote in his last race – would face his first primary challenge in 14 years. 28-year-old bar waitress and organiser for Bernie Sanders’s 2016 presidential campaign Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez challenged Crowley. She noted: “It’s not enough to fight Trump. We have to fight the issues that made his rise in the first place”, pointing to her policies such as medicare for all, scrapping tuition fees, and abolishing ICE.
Though she was outspent 18:1 by Crowley, on election day, the party chose Cortez by 15 percentage points.
The win was headline news and seen as indicating how the party might have to adapt and not take voters for granted, as many saw Crowley doing – pointing out how he sent a councilwoman to fill in for him during a primary debate. It was also likened to House Speaker Eric Cantor’s shock 2014 primary loss to Tea Party activist Dave Brat.
In the election, Cortez won easily with an improved 78% of the vote. When sworn in, she became the youngest female Congress(wo)man of all time.
Since then, AOC joined the high-profile progressive Squad in Congress, embarked on the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour with Bernie Sanders, and is viewed as a top contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential primaries.
Jamaal Bowman (New York 16th Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2020)
Inspired by AOC’s successful 2018 House primary victory, school principal Jamaal Bowman challenged 16-term incumbent House incumbent Eliot Engel.
A Congressman since 1989, Engel had increased his stature by becoming Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. However, this too brought him greater scrutiny over his controversial foreign policy positions. In 2003, he had voted for the invasion of Iraq, he was a firm opponent of the Iran nuclear deal, and – most notably – was an ironclad Zionist with a deep affection for Israel.
As Medhi Hasan wrote for the left-wing website The Intercept: “Backing illegal wars and coups. Appeasing foreign dictators. Defending Israel’s repression of the Palestinians. This is the Engel foreign policy record. He may be presented in the press as “mainstream” or a “moderate,” but his votes on Iraq, Iran, and Saudi Arabia put him in a hawkish, hard-right minority inside of his own party.”
Pro-Palestine candidate Bowman used this against Engel while supporting more left-wing policies such as Medicare for all and a Green New Deal.
Bowman was too aided by several controversies and gaffes made by Engel. For example, he had spent little time in New York, staying at his Maryland home during the pandemic while a few weeks before polling day, he was caught saying “if I didn’t have a primary, I wouldn’t care” about attending a conference in the wake of the George Floyd murder protests.
Though Engel had big name support from New Yorker Hillary Clinton, Governor Andrew Cuomo, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer amongst others, Bowman too had an impressive supporters list which included AOC, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren.
On election day, Bowman won, having long been the clear favourite since a definite early voting lead. He won with 55% of the vote to Engel’s 41%.
Though undoubtedly a win for the progressives, it would not be long-lived.
Seeking a third term, Bowman was defeated in his 2024 primary. After critising US support for Israel during the Israel-Hamas War, he was defeated by George Latimer in the most expensive House primary ever, with much of Latimer’s funding coming from the powerful AIPAC Jewish lobbying group.
Bill De Blasio (New York City Democratic Mayoral Primary, 2013)
Bill De Blasio’s story is one of a progressive in the right place at the right time, one who earned the backing of establishment figures, before becoming a deeply unpopular figure in national politics.
In the 2013 primary race, Public Advocate de Blasio was not a front-runner, polling below 10% at the start of the year.
Blasio benefitted greatly from the trials and tribulations of popular candidates. Council Speaker Christine Quinn was the early favourite but was harmed by her percieved closeness to the three-term mayor Michael Bloomberg, of whom voters had become fatigued. Another, Anthony Weiner, was felled by a sexting scandal that sunk his chances of victory.
Eventually, progressive de Blasio led the pack, buoyed by noted advertisements featuring his son Dante. His platform focused on popular opposition to police stop and frisk features and class conflicts, calling the city’s inequality “a tale of two cities.”
Feeling like a true breakaway from the previous Bloomberg regime and the rest of the field, he quickly racked up endorsements by progressive organisations and unions. Celebrities such as Alec Baldwin, Sarah Jessica-Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Al Sharpton, and Steve Buscemi lined up to endorse him, while he would eventually win support from major Democratic donor George Soros.
He would win the nomination with over 40% of the vote in the first round.
On election day, he won with over 73% of the vote.
Serving two terms as allowed by the state constitution, his tenure was a win for progressives in terms of policy, including universal pre-kindergarten, improvements in affordable housing, and a $15 minimum wage rise.
However, towards the end of his term, he had just 37% approval to 47% disapproval and a –25 net favourability. While an unpopular mayor, he still tried running for the Democratic presidential nominee but suspended his campaign after four months, polling beneath a dismal 1%.
Despite progressive victories, he gained a negative reputation from the left for his common siding with the police and more generally for seeming disinterested, aloof, and distant, including during the Manhattan blackout. Moreover, despite his promises, he often failed to deliver due to constant struggles with Governor Andrew Cuomo, including over tax hikes and Covid-19.
GRIFFIN KAYE.
