Can a New Star Help Guide the Democratic Party Out of the Darkness?
The national Democratic establishment on Tuesday night struggled to absorb the startling ascent of a democratic socialist in New York City who embraced a progressive economic agenda and diverged from the party's dominant position on the Middle East.
As elections go, Tuesday's party primary for mayor was a thunderbolt: New York voters turned away from a well-funded familiar face and famous name, former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, and in doing so made a generational and ideological break with the party's mainstream. They turned to a 33-year-old, three-term state assemblyman, Zohran Mamdani, who ran on an optimistic message about affordability and the rising cost of living that has eluded many national Democrats.
What became vividly clear on Tuesday, as votes were counted across the racially and economically diverse neighborhoods of New York, was that Mr. Mamdani had generated excitement among some — though not all — of the traditional pillars of winning Democratic voter coalitions.
Democratic leaders badly want to win over young voters and minority groups in the coming 2026 and 2028 elections — two groups they have struggled to mobilize since the Obama era — but they also need moderate Democrats and independents who often recoil from far-left positions.
'It really represents the excitement that I saw on the streets all throughout the City of New York,' said Letitia James, the New York attorney general. 'I haven't seen this since Barack Obama ran for president of these United States.'
That Mr. Mamdani had such success while running on a far-left agenda, including positions that once were politically risky in New York — like describing Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide and calling for new taxes on business — may challenge the boundaries of party orthodoxy and unnerve national Democratic leaders.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
23 minutes ago
- New York Post
Zohran Mamdani victory in NYC mayoral primary is ‘political earthquake' for the Democratic Party
Socialist Zohran Mamdani's stunning victory over three-term ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo in Tuesday's mayoral primary is a 'political earthquake' that will pressure the national Democratic Party to move further left, political analysts told The Post. Dems who got trounced by President Trump and the GOP last year will have to pay more attention to the views of progressive, younger voters who propelled Mamdani's candidacy — as well as struggling working class voters — as they prepare for midterm congressional elections, strategists, pollsters and union leaders said. 'It's an important moment in political history,' said Basil Smikle, a former executive director of the New York State Democratic Party and senior aide to then-Sen. Hillary Clinton. 7 Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani declared victory in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary. Getty Images 'He toppled a big name. It's an amazing feat,' Smikle said. Cuomo conceded to Mamdani Tuesday night, after trailing by roughly 70,000 votes — or 43% to 36% — with 96% of the precincts reported. 'Mamdani's victory provides a moment for progressives and younger voters to shape the future of the Democratic Party. There is no doubt,' Smikle said. Mamdani, 33, a two-term Queens assemblyman, replicated on a citywide scale what fellow socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accomplished in one congressional district when she toppled former Congressman Joe Crowley in the 2018 Democratic primary, with a new coalition that included younger voters. 'It's a political earthquake,' said Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion. 'An unknown defeating Andrew Cuomo is a changing of the guard. More Democratic voters are younger and their views have to be taken into account.' 7 Former NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo conceded to Mamdani on Tuesday. John Angelillo/UPI/Shutterstock Smikle said the support that Mamdani assembled also reminded him of the multi-racial coalition that David Dinkins drew together to get elected New York City's first black mayor in 1989. Others mentioned former President Barack Obama's ascendancy to the White House, defeating Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary in 2008. 'The results of this primary are epic,' said Transport Workers Union president John Samuelsen, one of the few labor leaders to pay Mamdani any mind, while most others backed Cuomo. Mamdani's economic populist proposals to make life more affordable — by soaking the rich with higher taxes to pay for freebies — resonated with blue collar voters, including bus and subway workers he represents, Samuelsen said. He applauded Mamdani's plan to provide free bus fares — which critics panned as impractical — and showed up to speak at one of the candidate's rallies during the final stretch of the campaign. 7 New York's Attorney General Letitia James and US Representative Nydia Velazquez attended a watch party for Mamdani's primary election. REUTERS 'Mamdani ran as an economic populist. It was a campaign about affordability,' Samuelsen said. 'The typical worker is socially moderate and an economic populist,' he said. 'Democrats have not pushed an economic program for working people and that's why they lost to Trump. They abandoned working people. Mamdani reconnected with them.' Cuomo is just the latest scandal-scarred candidate to fail in a comeback bid after resigning as governor in 2021 while facing sexual misconduct accusations he denies. Keep up with today's most important news Stay up on the very latest with Evening Update. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters Others defeated in comeback bids include former Gov. Eliot Spitzer and Anthony Weiner, who lost Tuesday night in a race for City Council. Democratic sources said Mamdani and his campaign outhustled Cuomo, despite $25 million funneled into a pro-Cuomo Fix The City Super Pac that pummeled the assemblyman with TV ads and scores of labor unions that backed him. Mamdani's campaign volunteers seemed to be everywhere on primary day, far more present than the Cuomo campaign. 7 Cuomo told supporters on Tuesday, 'Tonight was not our night, tonight, it was Assemblyman Mamdani's night.' Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post 'The unions that backed Cuomo, like the Carpenters, do not have many members that vote in New York City and they did not mount a serious 'Get Out The Vote' effort,' said John Mollenkopf, director CUNY's Center for Urban Research, who teaches political science. 'The independent expenditure efforts on his behalf were scare-mongering and not very convincing. I think they turned off as many voters to Cuomo as they added to his tally,' Mollenkopf said. 'The Working Families Party and related cross-endorsements, especially that of (City Comptroller) Brad Lander, were crucial for Mamdani's lead,' he said. 'It was built on young voters' disaffection with the Democratic Party establishment.' One Democratic Party source said a Mamdani victory will cause headaches for other party incumbents. 7 Mamdani's watch party was packed with passionate supporters on Tuesday night. REUTERS Fellow democratic socialists may feel emboldened to challenge Democratic incumbents for Congress, the source said, particularly mentioning Reps. Dan Goldman and Jerry Nadler. 'What does Gov. Kathy Hochul do? Does she endorse Mamdani as the Democratic nominee? What does Chuck Schumer do?' the source asked, referring to the Senate minority leader from New York. In 2021, Hochul stayed neutral in Buffalo's mayoral race when then-incumbent Byron Brown lost to democratic socialist India Walton in the party's primary. Brown then won re-election in a landslide as a write-in candidate. 7 James spoke during Mamdani's election night gathering after he secured the Democratic nomination for mayor. Getty Images The source wondered whether Hochul would back incumbent New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who is running in the November general election as an independent. But Hochul, the de-facto head of the state Democratic Party who is up for re-election next year, put out a statement Tuesday night congratulating Mamdani and seemed open to supporting him. 'Today, voters made their voices heard, demanding a more affordable, more livable New York City. I hear them loud and clear,' she said. 'Zohran Mamdani built a formidable grassroots coalition, and I look forward to speaking with him in the days ahead about his ideas on how to ensure a safe, affordable, and livable New York City.' Still, Mamdani's leftist vision on public safety and strident opposition to Israel may not play as well in the general election as in the primary. 7 Mamdani spoke on stage with fellow candidate Comptroller Brad Lander at his primary election party. AP Adams, and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, could benefit from Mamdani's primary victory over Cuomo. The mayor, who is saddled by his own corruption scandals despite federal charges being dropped, can run as the more moderate, law and order and fiscally responsible candidate, citing a drop in crime and an improved post-COVID-19 pandemic economy. Sliwa can make the same argument. Lawyer Jim Walden also is running as an independent. Cuomo also could run on an independent 'Fight & Deliver' ballot line, but many supporters may now switch to Mamdani, as he's the Democratic nominee. The vibe inside Adams' camp was 'very good' on Tuesday night, sources told The Post. 'This is it. The fight for New York's future begins tonight,' his campaign account posted on X, imploring supporters to 'Join us—knock doors, make calls, chip in.' Sliwa, meanwhile, immediately painted Mamdani as far from the mainstream. 'Zohran Mamdani is too extreme for a city already on edge. This race is not over,' he said.
Washington Post
31 minutes ago
- Washington Post
How much will you save or lose with Trump's ‘big' tax bill?
How much will you save or lose with Trump's 'big' tax bill? President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress are on the cusp of passing legislation to make permanent trillions of dollars of tax cuts enacted in 2017. Besides extending those tax cuts, which disproportionately benefit high earners, the measure also would reduce spending on safety net programs, which benefit low-income households. All told, the measure would mark a significant shift in federal benefits from low-income to high-income households, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and other independent analyses. See how your finances — and those of other Americans — would change using this calculator, which was developed in partnership with Penn Wharton Budget Model. The calculator shows the estimated effects of the House-passed bill compared with the 2024 tax year. Story continues below advertisement Advertisement Pick a profile ... or enter your info We will not store your income or personal data. Unmarried, 2 kids, $20K Married, 2 kids, $60K Married, 3 kids, $110K Married, no kids, $450K Senior, $90K Your profile Meet Tara She makes $20,000 per year and has two kids. She files as single, and her whole family uses SNAP and Medicaid benefits. Because of benefit cuts in the bill, she would be about $870 worse off than last year. HOUSEHOLD FINANCES Annual income $20,000 Household size 3 people Location California Government benefits Medicaid and SNAP Effects of the tax bill Tax changes $751 Benefits/policy change -$1,621 TOTAL CHANGE -$870 Key changes for Tara Cuts to Medicaid and SNAP could hurt low-income earners Families with low incomes, especially those that rely on SNAP and Medicaid, would have their finances hit hard. Republicans have proposed deep cuts to social safety net programs to try to reduce the bill's effect on the national debt. The plans to cut Medicaid could lead to 16 million people losing health care coverage over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. It would also add new qualification and cost-sharing requirements, including co-pays for beneficiaries above 100 percent of the federal poverty level and work requirements for some adults. The bill would cap the expansion of future SNAP benefits and pass more of the cost to state governments. States could be forced to either find room in their budgets to keep funding the program at its current levels, or cut benefits. How the tax bill affects Tara compared to others +0 +10k +20k +30k $500K+ $450-499K $400-449K $350-399K $300-349K $250-299K $200-249K $180-199K $160-179K $140-159K $120-139K $100-119K $80-99K $60-79K $40-59K $20-39K $0-19K Household income Total change 20th percentile 80th percentile Median $23,093 Read another profile Unmarried, 2 kids, $20K Married, 2 kids, $60K Married, 3 kids, $110K Married, no kids, $450K Senior, $90K Your profile Story continues below advertisement Advertisement Other key bill impacts The One Big Beautiful Bill extends tax cuts from Trump's first term, implements new campaign proposals — including no taxes on tips and overtime wages — and seeks to offset the cost with large cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program formerly known as food stamps. 'The bill creates a fair amount of new debt, and somebody has to pay for that. It's not true that everybody's going to be a winner from it,' said Kent Smetters, faculty director of the Penn Wharton Budget Model, which built a model for The Washington Post that shows how people's financial outcomes would be better or worse under the bill. The legislation is expected to help many middle- and high-income earners, but it could deal a blow to low-income earners, especially those who rely on Medicaid and SNAP. Republicans have argued that the bill will usher in a broad economic boom, while Democrats have expressed concern that the legislation would add trillions to the already high national debt. No taxes on tips and overtime One of Trump's campaign pledges, this provision would exempt overtime wages from taxes through a new deduction. The legislation wouldn't allow 'highly compensated employees,' or people without a Social Security number to claim the deduction. Trump also campaigned on ending taxes on tips. The legislation would allow a deduction for the total amount of tipped income received. It contains some guardrails to prevent 'highly compensated employees' from claiming their earnings as tips and specifically identifies food service, hair care, nail care, aesthetics, and body and spa treatments as applicable professions that would be eligible for the deduction. Boost to child tax credit The bill includes a temporary $500 increase in the child tax credit, bringing it to $2,500 through 2028. It would then return to $2,000 and increase to account for inflation. The legislation limits eligibility to parents or guardians with Social Security numbers. A deduction for seniors The bill adds $4,000 to the standard deduction for taxpayers 65 or older, giving a financial boost to many seniors. The policy would be in place for four years and taper off as a recipient's income increases. Trump originally pledged to end taxes on Social Security benefits, which the bill did not include. High income-earners benefit from many parts of the bill High-income earners are among the biggest winners of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The measure extends the tax cuts enacted in 2017 and includes several provisions that benefit wealthy Americans, such as expanding the estate tax exemption, extending a tax cut for the highest income bracket and increasing a deduction for certain 'pass-through' business entities. Specific provisions, such as the expanded child tax credit and a higher cap on the state and local tax deduction, or SALT, also benefit those with higher incomes. House Republicans rejected a push to raise taxes on top earners, which Trump and some allies had suggested. SALT deduction One of the biggest issues dividing lawmakers during negotiations has been the cap on the state and local tax deduction, or SALT, which allows itemizing filers to write off what they paid in local taxes from their federal tax return. The legislation raises the cap from $10,000 to $40,000 for taxpayers earning up to $500,000. Story continues below advertisement Advertisement
CNET
31 minutes ago
- CNET
Free Settlement Money From AT&T: Who Qualifies and When You Can File Your Claim
While admitting no wrongdoing, the telecom giant agreed to pay out $177 million customers new and old that were impacted by two recent data breaches. AT&T/CNET If you've been an AT&T customer sometime in the last few years, you might be aware of a few recent data breaches that impacted your personal info. While that's unfortunate, I do have some good news for you: You might qualify for free money as part of a settlement the company is working towards. On Friday, June 20, US District Judge Ada Brown in Texas ruled that the terms of a settlement from AT&T were reasonable, clearing the process to move forward. The settlement as it stands will see the telecom giant pay out $177 million to customers adversely affected by at least one of the two data breaches. Some details about the process for getting paid aren't available this early on, but you can expect them to become clear later in the summer, ahead of the final approval hearing on Dec. 3. The settlement will prioritize larger payments to customers who suffered damages that are "fairly traceable" to the data leaks. It will also provide bigger payments to those impacted by the larger of the two leaks, which began in 2019. While the company is working towards a settlement, it has continued to deny that it was "responsible for these criminal acts." For all the details about we have about the settlement right now, keep reading, and for more info about other recent settlements, find out how to claim Apple's Siri privacy settlement and see if you're eligible for 23andMe's privacy breach settlement. What happened with these AT&T data breaches? AT&T first confirmed the two data breaches last year, announcing an investigation into the first in March before confirming it in May, followed by confirmation of the second one in July. The first of the confirmed breaches began in 2019. The company revealed that around 7.6 million current and 65.4 million former account holders had their data exposed to hackers, including names, Social Security numbers and dates of birth. The company first began investigating the situation last year after it reported that customer data had appeared on the dark web. The second breach began in April of 2024, when a hacker broke into AT&T cloud storage provider Snowflake and accessed 2022 call and text records for almost all of the company's US customers, around 109 million in all. The company stressed that no names were attached to the stolen data, and two individuals were arrested in connection with the breach. Both of these incidents sparked a wave of class action lawsuits alleging corporate neglect on the part of AT&T in failing to sufficiently protect its customers. How will I know if I'm eligible for the AT&T data breach settlement? As of now, we know that the settlement will pay out to any current or former AT&T customer whose data was accessed in one of these data breaches, with higher payments reserved for those who can provide documented proof that they suffered damages directly resulting from their data being stolen. If you're eligible, you should receive a notice about it, either by email or by a physical letter in the mail, sometime in the coming months. The company expects that the claims process will begin on Aug. 4. How much will I get paid from the AT&T data breach settlement? You'll have to "reasonably" prove damages caused by these data breaches to be eligible for the highest and most prioritized payouts. For the 2019 breach, those claimants can receive up to $5,000. For the Snowflake breach, the max payout will be $2,500. It's not clear at this time how the company might be handling customers who've been affected by both breaches. AT&T will focus on making those payments first, and whatever's left of the $177 million settlement total will be disbursed to anyone whose data was accessed, even without proof of damages. Since these payouts depend on how many people get the higher amounts first, we can't say definitively how much they will be. When will I get paid from the AT&T data breach settlement? AT&T expects that payments will start to go out sometime early next year, though exact dates aren't available right now. The final approval needs to be given at the Dec. 3 court hearing in order for payments to being made. Stay tuned to this piece in the coming months to get all the new details as they emerge, and for more money help, check out CNET's daily tariff price impact tracker.
