Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s victory provides a path forward for the Democratic Party, encouraging Democrats to follow his campaign style.
Mamdani’s win over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent, and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa was one of several elections in which Sanders said the Democratic Party had “an overwhelming wave” on Tuesday night. He said Mamdani is “of course” a leader for the Democratic Party, contrary to the beliefs some Democrats hold, such as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
“But what’s important about last night is not only that he ran a brilliant campaign, he had 90,000 volunteers, he’s incredibly articulate, it’s what he talked about during the campaign. And he made it clear what is true in every state in this country is that the richest people in America are becoming phenomenally richer. Billionaires are exploding in terms of wealth, while ordinary people, 60% of people, live paycheck to paycheck,” Sanders said on CNN.
“Ordinary people can’t afford healthcare. They can’t afford child care. They can’t afford food in the grocery store. They can’t afford to retire with dignity. That’s what Zohran campaigned on; it resonated with people, it will resonate with people in every state in this country,” Sanders continued.
Sanders said Democrats should “absolutely” campaign on Mamdani’s platform in the 2026 midterm elections, adding that his party needs “the courage to acknowledge reality.”
He also said it “doesn’t matter” that Mamdani never secured Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer‘s (D-NY) endorsement because Mamdani spoke to “working-class people” instead of “the political establishment.” He added that younger voters are “the future of America” and said the party must “study” how Mamdani reached out to this voting bloc.
The Washington Examiner contacted Sanders’s office for comment.
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Schumer remained evasive on endorsing Mamdani throughout the election cycle. He confirmed he voted Tuesday, but didn’t specify who he voted for. However, he said he looks forward to working with the Big Apple’s next mayor.
President Donald Trump criticized Mamdani’s “very angry” victory speech, in which Mamdani taunted the president. Trump said Mamdani needs to be “a little bit respectful of Washington” because he “doesn’t have a chance of succeeding” if he isn’t.