After months of campaigning, over 100,000 volunteers, and three million doors knocked, Zohran Mamdani is going to be the mayor of New York City on January 1st. This is a major win for the progressive movement. Electing an outspoken Democratic Socialist to lead one of the most important cities in the world is a big deal, and this should not be understated.
Progressives aren’t used to winning, especially in American politics. An unequivocal victory of this magnitude, with no drawback or compromise, is something we haven’t seen in decades. And I’m not sure that the left really knows how to handle it.
We have grown so used to constantly being let down that we can’t help but be cynical even after an almost perfect outcome. I think this skepticism is healthy. No matter how charming Mamdani may be, he is still a politician. He serves us, not the other way around, and it’s important that we hold him accountable to the promises he made and the vision New Yorkers elected him to pursue.
Many on the left were put off by Mamdani’s decision to keep Jessica Tisch as Police Commissioner of New York City. Tisch, who was appointed by Mayor Eric Adams, has frequently criticized liberal policies around policing and the criminal justice system. In July, she refused to fire a lieutenant who shot and killed a man at a routine traffic stop.
She is committed to increasing police hiring as well as maintaining the department’s control over officer discipline. This stands in direct contrast to one of Mamdani’s most important goals: to increase the powers of the Civilian Complaint Review Board and shift some power away from the police department to discipline itself.
The left is understandably angry that Mamdani seems to be softening his stance on policing. To apparently be going back on his word before he’s even taken office seems like a troubling sign for what his term will look like, and what other promises he may not actually fulfill. Others on the left argue that this is simply a necessary part of politics: there is no way for Mamdani to be an effective mayor and implement the policies that we want if he makes an enemy of the police department before his term even starts.
Former Mayor Bill de Blasio struggled to follow through on his agenda for the city during his tenure for this exact reason, and it seems Mamdani is determined not to make the same mistake. Although I understand why it’s necessary for him to walk this fine line, I think that it is just as necessary that we pay attention to these decisions and maintain our criticism of them as his constituents. This push-and-pull is essential to political function, and we must be careful not to get wrapped up in idol worship.
Mamdani’s recent meeting with Trump at the White House is a perfect example of this. People on both the progressive and conservative sides were surprised and confused at the seemingly friendly dynamic the two had, especially after Trump harshly criticized Zohran just months ago. Progressives celebrated this and joked about how Zohran must have charmed Trump with his personality.
While these comments are made mostly in jest, it’s still important for us to remember that these men are both politicians. The president of the country and the mayor of New York are essentially coworkers. No matter what their stances are, and no matter what Trump may have said about Mamdani before he was elected, both now understand that they will have to work together. However, it isn’t insignificant that Mamdani stood firm on his stance that Trump is a fascist, both during the press conference in the Oval Office as well as after the meeting. Mamdani understands that he must cooperate with the White House without capitulating to its political agenda.
The tightrope that Mamdani must walk isn’t an easy one, and it remains to be seen how successful he will be once his term begins. But we must not shy away from holding his feet to the fire when it is necessary.
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