Zohran Mamdani’s Unlikely Fan Base
The 33-year-old’s socialist platform targeted the working class — but it was New York City’s richest who put him on top.
On a sweltering Election Day, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers braved the heat to vote, in a race whose outcome was far from certain. Most expected the results to take weeks to come in. But then, just 90 minutes after the polls closed, the unexpected happened. Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old state assemblyperson and former rapper, had won the Democratic primary.
He was polling at a whopping 79% with Asian voters before the election closed and ultimately won the group by 15 points — from whom he got the most support. Yes, he’s adept at social media. Yes, he can quote Karz (1980), speak in Bangla, and grow his beard better than you. However, democratic socialist policies don’t usually resonate with New Yorkers, let alone Asian Americans. And yet, the group flocked to his side. So, how did the underdog emerge as the champion — especially within his community?