Pictured: Zohran Mamdani and Kathy Hochul

Image credits: Wikimedia Commons [edited]

Often in politics, we have a burning desire to ensure that we elect people who are both genuine, and dependable when it counts. The caricature of the establishment pawn, of barking loudly without any bite, is all too engrained in our minds. This uncertainty and strive for moral clarity is especially prevalent among the left. However, particularly in this era, where many leftist politicians have abandoned all principles to conform to the paradigm of neoliberalism, such concerns are far from unjustified, and a needed form of accountability.

So lies the case of arguably the most popular American politician among the left: Zohran Mamdani. Already in his first 30 or so days in office, his action as New York City mayor has been extraordinary by his country’s standards. His agenda has included introducing universal childcare in the city for those 2 and under, mobilising legal action against both dodgy landlords and poor payment practises from delivery companies, along with emergency action to protect the vulnerable amidst fiercely cold weather in the city. 

No one can dispute the speed or scale at which Mamdani is moving (for the time being), one which is in an undeniably positive direction for New Yorkers. What has been alarming to some though, is the way Mamdani is playing his pieces on the proverbial chessboard. He already came under criticism from the left last year, for meeting with President Trump in the White House. While some saw it as a more favourable outcome to Trump having an excuse to smash Mamdani with an iron fist, others saw it as a normalisation of oligarchal politics.

Now, Mamdani has come under fire again, this time with condemnation from even his fellow democratic socialists. The issue? Mamdani has endorsed sitting New York state governor, Kathy Hochul, for re-election this year.

Kathy Hochul has a track record for being an “establishment Democrat”, a politician who is willing to protect the interests of corporate America against grassroots action for fair change. Already, in the face of federal cuts to vital programs like Medicare, Hochul has not guaranteed a complete alleviation of the shortfall. For instance, only a few billion more in funds for Medicare have been promised at the state level. Particularly, little has been done against oligarchs and those with extortionate wealth, who seek to benefit the most from America’s current course. Though Hochul has extended the state’s existing “millionaire tax” (applicable to those making $5 million or more), it has not been expanded in scope, despite calls from Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America to do so.

Hochul’s response to historic strike action in New York City is also cause for concern. Recently, 15,000 nurses in the city launched their biggest strike yet, one that Mamdani himself has been at the frontlines of. They are demanding better treatment in the workplace, including an end to understaffing shifts, stronger protections against workplace violence, and a reversal of cuts to healthcare benefits. While Mamdani has been cheering them on, Hochul has been actively undermining them. She has repeatedly extended an executive order that allows hospitals to more readily hire temporary staff, including from outside the state. Such an action, though it may keep vital services running, greatly diminishes the bargaining power of trade unions in the industry, favouring the corporate status quo.

With these issues in mind, can the left truly trust Hochul? Or would it serve Mamdani better to endorse someone like Antonio Delgado instead, who is more favoured among his socialist contemporaries. 

In my view, the risk of supporting Hochul is worth it, even if it damages Mamdani’s image slightly, and makes him appear as an “opportunist” and at the “inside of politics”. The hard truth is that as a politician, especially one in the US, Mamdani will have to play by certain rulebooks if he wants to get anything done. Between 1980 and 2020, state grants accounted for roughly 18% of New York City’s budget. Such grants are especially critical to the forefront of Mamdani’s pledges, which cover increased spending on health and social care.

Mamdani also needs the governor’s approval for policy implementation itself. Mamdani’s rollout of universal childcare was not done in isolation; it had the explicit cooperation of Hochul in delivering it to both the city and the wider state. Crucially, as proven by previous troubles between former mayor Bill de Blasio and former governor Andrew Cuomo (a name you all know and loathe by now) over numerous issues (including taxing millionaires), the state holds a veto over any kind of taxation of wealth conducted at the municipal level.

There is also the issue of risk if Mamdani were not to endorse Hochul.

Contrary to popular belief, New York State is not a complete Democrat stronghold. There is a stark divide between the urban core centred around New York City and the state’s rural heartlands, which remain strongly Republican. At the 2022 election for New York’s governor, Hochul only secured 53% of the popular vote against Republicans. This means that if a more leftist candidate ran under the Democratic ticket, it would be far easier for the opposition, likely backed by immense wealth, to unite the state behind either a Republican or third-party candidate.

As Cuomo’s performance against Mamdani proved, such a force should not be underestimated. From a logical viewpoint, having a somewhat cooperative Democratic governor is far better than one who will openly rally against Mamdani’s politics, and likely send his agenda to the bin.

Even with her major flaws, Hochul hasn’t proven to be completely devoid of compromise with progressive and socialist policies.

Besides co-operation with Mamdani on childcare, Hochul has also implemented measures to the limit the reach of Trump’s deportation agenda in the state. Furthermore, though she didn’t endorse Mamdani in the primary, she was one of the few notable Democrats to endorse Mamdani when he was confirmed as the Democratic candidate for mayor. This is something which many other establishment Democrats steered clear of. From these initial gestures, it is entirely possible that Hochul will allow Mamdani’s agenda to pass at the municipal level with few hurdles, even if the state at large doesn’t completely follow. Hochul herself has said that she’s open to work with others politically. 

Ultimately, we must remember that Mamdani’s election as mayor remains a once in a lifetime opportunity to prove to America a sobering fact; that socialism, far from the wicked reaper its often portrayed to be, can be a force of real and impactful change that can uplift the lives of millions. While working with figures like Hochul may be irksome, and perhaps somewhat contradictory, it is far from an unnecessary act.

If Mamdani is allowed to walk the walk, and prove his agenda works with enough time, funding and patience, it has the potential to inspire the entire American electorate to follow New York City’s example. Such inspiration would inevitably lead to more sitting politicians with ambitious, and people-first agendas, ones which do not bow to the norms of political dissonance or billionaire-backed fiscal straitjackets. In other words, socialism in one city can bring about socialism for all.

One thing that should be kept an eye on however, is grassroots pressure. Mamdani was elected on a movement of hundreds of thousands daring to dream, one that has managed to checkmate big money’s stranglehold over American politics. Where compromises can’t be reached, in instances like the nurses’ strike, direct action must continue to prove to establishment politicians in the US, Republican and Democrat, that there is a real will and drive behind the socialist movement, and that it will not be silenced.

Through the combined arms of empowering effective governance and mass mobilisation, a real chance has emerged to secure a new normal for the better. A model that serves its people wholeheartedly, not the interests of a few, can be achieved, both in New York City, and across even the beating heart of capital that is the United States.