Nearly six months into Donald Trump’s second presidency, it seems any feeling of hope is a rare commodity to come by. For quite some time, resistance against Trump came in the form of symbolic speeches, unobtrusive peaceful protest and praying for courts to somehow single-handedly stop a fascist power grab that Congressional Democrats were too spineless to handle. These last six months have truly worn people down, not just socialists and anarchists like myself and my comrades, but the millions of individuals hurt by this presidency.

That being said, there have been moments of genuine hope as we continue to resist this tyrannical administration. Resistance to immigration raids has turned fierce, particularly in cities such as Los Angeles, where residents have shown up en masse to protect their neighbors and friends, even resisting the force of the National Guard and the Marines. However, at this time, I will go into detail on a second glimmer of hope: the victory of the New York Democratic primary’s underdog, Zohran Mamdani, in late June.

In contrast to his opponent, the establishment Democrat Andrew Cuomo, Mamdani has his stake in the progressive, left-leaning and even far left edges of politics, with endorsements from progressives such as Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. He also holds membership in the Democratic Socialists of America, an organization in which I hold membership. Mamdani also has the backing of many key labor unions, including the UAW, Teamsters, AFL-CIO, IATSE and SEIU, among many others.

I believe the most important factor in Mamdani’s campaign that led to his victory is the focus on improving the lives of New Yorkers’. Uninterested in merely making a show of supporting New Yorkers, Mamdani aims to implement direct, tangible improvements in the lives of New Yorkers, pushing progressive economic policy to the forefront. This includes rent freezes, putting abusive landlords out of business, city-owned grocery stores, aiding uninsured New Yorkers in navigating the healthcare system and no-cost childcare. These go hand-in-hand with his goal of making New York City affordable, a key goal of his campaign. 

This New Yorker-focused attitude came to the forefront during an early debate in Mamdani’s campaign, in which candidates were asked how they would protect Jewish New Yorkers amid a rise in antisemitism. Almost every candidate answered they would visit Israel, except for Mamdani. Mamdani, a long-time critic of Israel and its actions in the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, answered that he would protect Jewish New Yorkers by meeting them where they are in New York, be it their homes or their synagogues. This answer, I believe, illustrates the disconnect between politicians and the people they are supposed to serve. Mamdani has a different approach than establishment Democrats, who emphasize putting on a show about caring for and protecting vulnerable communities, yet only do so to the extent they can serve themselves and their interests. 

This primary was a referendum on the Democratic Party, and in its fight for survival in the Trump era, a clear path forward has been laid. Mamdani has laid the blueprint for the party’s survival, to shift itself to a more progressive, working class and truly socialist direction. It is now adapt or die for the rest of the Democratic Party, and it’s time to find out what Democrats value more: their constituents or their pockets.