Zohran Mamdani, Mayor-elect for New York City, has big goals within his campaign, but can he follow through on all of these promises?
Growing up, I’ve had an extremely critical and sometimes pessimistic view of worldly topics. But if there’s one thing my mother taught me, it’s how to recognize quality when I see it. Most importantly, this attitude is exposed throughout my dictation and dissection of political topics. That being said, Zohran Mamdani’s win has made one thing obvious — he has mastered the poetry of politics. Despite my optimism for him, I’m not confident that he can live up to his bold claims.
In the recent election cycle, a triumphant horn was blown for the Democratic Party. Abigail Spanberger comprehensively brutalized her opponent in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Mikie Sherrill turned heads by defying pollsters in her New Jersey gubernatorial race and Proposition 50 passed smoothly in California. However, a distant yet somewhat estranged cousin of the Democratic Party found its way into the enthusiastic celebrations as well: the concept of Democratic Socialism.
The election of Mamdani was ultimately a success. How exactly? Through a demonstrated and extraordinary talent to completely rework the electorate via masterful messaging and marketing. In 2013, just 8% of young New Yorkers between the ages of 18–34 voted for mayor. In 2025, the number jumped to 28%, which is more than triple the previous rate. So by definition, 2025 shattered precedent.
For a party maimed and beaten in 2024, Mamdani’s leadership is not only a source of hope but a robust revolution. He essentially revived something that democrats have lacked since Barack Obama’s election in 2008: a narrative of renewal.
But notoriety and responsibility carry a heavy burden. Mamdani now faces the task of proving that the energy of youth movements and his careful words can endure beyond the ballot box. His administration will be scrutinized, dissected and held to a higher standard not just by classic Republican opponents but by the young voters who delivered his victory. In fact, even the idea of selling an ineffective product to his voters could represent not only a downfall for Mamdani, but a downfall for the concept of Democratic Socialism as a whole.
Michael Genovese, Ph.D., professor of political science and international relations and president of the Global Policy Institute at LMU and Loyola chair of leadership studies believes Mamdani has a task of great consequence. “Mamdani has a big hill to climb … his success or failure, he’s going to bring the Democrats up or down because he’s the poster child right now,” said Genovese.
Mamdani’s performance and policy agenda are not solely individual criteria that are required for re-election. They will impact Democrats across the country in the 2026 midterm elections if proven ineffective and could deepen wounds in the already fragile image of both Democratic Socialism and the party as an entity.
“It depends on if Mamdani presents his more radical vision early,” said Genovese. “That’s a target Republicans will want to use. They will then try to paint every Democrat as a Mamdani … It could very well be that in a time of uncertainty where economic issues are difficult and people are scared and worried about the future they may think ‘god he’s a radical and he’ll make things worse.’”
Mamdani’s palette of policies are diverse, ambitious and were sold well during his campaign. But let’s be clear, the individuals who voted for Mamdani didn’t vote for a poet, they voted for a problem solver. This is the innate danger of a “silver bullet” strategy — when every word attempts to achieve utopia, reality becomes the greatest threat. Mamdani essentially must prove that Democratic Socialism works more than just a mere slogan, but rather it’s about proving if it can function as policy.
“No mayor in America has that kind of power to do that independently … So what Mamdani is going to have to do is build a consensus and take half a loaf; if he’s willing to do that he can make real progress … It’s difficult to get those things passed because they’re unorthodox in a sense.” said Genovese.
I cannot criticize Mamdani’s audacious goals, in fact they are a breath of fresh air within the Democratic establishment — an establishment that has far too long relied upon moderate rhetoric to appeal to the masses. Mamdani’s recent victory means more than a local triumph, it elevates him to a new leadership role alongside Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as a part of the new unapologetic progressive wave that is gaining more popularity.
Sean Sparks, a political science major and president of the LMU chapter of California College Democrats explains, “The election itself shows where young people are at currently and how young people are feeling … in a way it’s a very strong win for progressives but the Democratic Party’s reaction to it has been very disappointing.”
Sparks’ observation shines light on a tension between Mamdani’s bold progressive rhetoric and the broader Democratic coalition’s instincts. This reinforces the importance of Mamdani’s victory. Mamdani’s victory as it proves that voters — especially young voters — are hungry for ambition, not platitudes chimed repeatedly to them by establishment democrats.
“Several key politicians such as Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi refused to personally endorse Mamdani … A lot of people, especially in the club, find it disappointing that we have found a message that resonated with the public … but they’re afraid to do it and it’s disappointing seeing someone actively try to lose almost,” said Sparks.
Mamdani has it all. He built his rise on bold promises and narratives so deeply desired by the youth — but having everything means nothing if he can’t deliver on every word he used to get here. Every ideal he championed and every reformation he praised must be delivered as close to perfection as humanly possible, or else the cost won’t just fall on Democratic Socialists and New Yorkers. It will ripple across the entire American electorate, with Mamdani becoming the poster child for the “failure” of progressive policy for years to come.
“I definitely have conflicting views … Overall I’m cautiously optimistic but a little skeptical on his policy but I was definitely excited to see a Democrat win … the fact that New Yorkers chose to elect a Democratic Socialist, an immigrant, a young man – shows that they wanted change,” said Sophie Lorscheider, a political science major.
All in all, I hold both high hopes and a deep sense of unease for him, because the threats won’t just come from the political right — they’ll come from inside his own party.
Good luck Mr. Mamdani!
This is the opinion of Wasay Abdali (‘28), an entrepreneurship major from Colorado Springs, CO. Send comments and feedback to editor@theloyolan.com. Follow @LALoyolan on Instagram, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter