Elections & Politics Brief #188 | Nate Iglehart | July 11, 2025
The Democratic primary for the New York mayoral race was seen as a “perfect storm”, “clearly a rebuke”, and a surprise to many onlookers. In it, self-proclaimed democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani managed to pull off a stunning and decisive victory over establishment Democrat and former governor Andrew Cuomo. As Mamdani began gaining steam in the latter weeks of the campaign, the mayoral race began to be seen as a litmus test for the future of the Democratic Party.
In previous election cycles, Democratic planners have opted more often to court the independent and undecided voters in the middle of the political spectrum. But the results have been mixed at times.
Now, Mamdani has showcased the popularity of more progressive policies and the feasibility of running on them to win important elections, like in New York City. And other candidates are taking note across the country, in a wave that could herald a new direction in Democratic Party politics.
Analysis
Mamdani’s politics aren’t anything particularly new to the party; representatives like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stand in similar positions on similar issues. But Mamdani has helped spark a surge that galvanized younger voters in a new wave across the country, with many prospective leaders at the local and state level parroting his campaign strategy.
There are two main takeaways that candidates and planners are incorporating from Mamdani. First is the use of social media and TikTok in a campaign (this has been the takeaway for many establishment Democrats who still see progressive politics as too volatile a flag to wave). For years now, Republicans have taken the lead in pursuing alternative media avenues, like podcasts and social media. Mamdani’s use of these helped garner last-minute support, and Democrats are taking note.
The second has been an embrace of those progressive politics and a rejection of the old guard. This has been something that David Hogg, once the vice chair of the DNC, has piloted, with his “Leaders We Deserve” PAC actually having supported Mamdani’s campaign.
This PAC, amongst others, has been a key player in facilitating campaign growth for progressives challenging once-safe seats for Democrats as well as Republican seats. And across the country, those progressives are also beginning to gain momentum.
First, in California, school board trustee Randy Villegas has begun wielding economic populism in his quest to unseat Republican moderate David Valadao in the state’s 22nd district. Although Villegas has hesitated to call himself a progressive, his focus on countering corporate messaging and special interest money has given Democrats a chance in a district they have long sought to win over.
Another arena is in Atlanta. Democratic Rep. David Scott has long been criticized by his peers for being too old and having too many health issues to be in office, which has resulted in a lack of appearances with his constituents. Two challengers, state Rep. Jasmine Clark and former chair of the state’s largest school district, Everton Blair, are mounting challenges to the status quo. Both are on the younger side (42 and 33, respectively), and lean further left than Scott.
But one major test for the young progressive movement across the country will be Arizona’s 7th Congressional District, which is holding a special election to replace Rep. Raúl Grijalva, who passed away in March. Most of the democratic establishment has coalesced behind his daughter, Adelita Grijalva, who has received support from most of the party.
But what has been interesting is that while progressives AOC and Sanders have endorsed Grijalva, David Hogg’s PAC has instead backed 25-year-old influencer and activist Deja Foxx. She has blasted the Democratic Party for not doing enough to stand up to Trump while also targeting Grijalva as an extension of the establishment that has, in her eyes, let voters down.
It is also notable that both Grijalva and Foxx, along with another candidate Daniel Hernandez, all have similar policy values. The main driver in this race appears to be just how much change voters want the party to undergo on both a generational and a personality front.
What sets Foxx apart is her age, her personality, and most of all, her online presence. As an influencer, she has had the ability to draw donations and support both from within and outside of her state. It also has targeted a far younger bloc, one that is entering politics frustrated at the state of the country and blaming those in power (which includes establishment Democrats).
This conflict, between the old guard and the new generation, between the established representatives and the new wave of progressive politics, is happening in elections across the nation. Whether they are backed by progressive organizations or independently built, young progressives are eyeing office more than ever.
Pocketbook issues, anti-corporate messaging, and investing in online spaces are increasingly popular and effective, and if the Democrats want to have a shot at retaking the presidency and Congress in the coming years, they will need to incorporate the lessons learned from NYC and these other elections. If they don’t, America may be in for the slow death of a major party for the first time since right before the Civil War.
Engagement Resources
- Zohran Mamdani’s Platform is a useful resource for learning about the policies that earned him such support in NYC, and could spread further.
- Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization researching every official’s and candidate’s voting records and policy platforms.
- Run For Something is an organization focused on fostering young and progressive campaigns across the nation.