We can hardly fault Democrats for celebrating Zohran Mamdani’s victory in New York City’s mayoral race. After all, the party has been wandering in the political wilderness since its crushing defeat last November and was desperate for a win.
But Mamdani’s identity as both a Muslim and an avowed socialist has had an unintended effect: his win has emboldened Islamist and Marxist elements within his base, many of whom are far too eager to read too much into his victory.
The displays of hubris began shortly after Mamdani was declared the winner. One unidentified Muslim man — apparently misinterpreting the result as nothing less than the divine endorsement of Islam’s ultimate triumph in America — delivered a breathtaking message to a large crowd that had gathered in Manhattan’s Times Square on Tuesday night.
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He shouted, “We’re done hiding. We’re done being tortured and hurt and judged. This [Islam] is the correct religion. This is the religion that all of humanity needs to be a part of Islam [sic], and we will not stop until it enters every home.”
Unfortunately, he was far from alone in believing that Mamdani’s victory marked the beginning of an Islamic transformation of the United States.
The following clip shows Muslim women dancing in celebration. One of them says, “Sharia law starts now. Abso-f***ing-lutely. … Mamdani, Islamic Caliphate, our brother in Islam. Islamic Caliphate of New York starts today, baby!”
It’s worth noting that under Sharia law, women are generally not permitted to dance in public or to use profane language. She may want to reconsider what she’s celebrating.
Social media is filled with posts from deluded people expressing similar sentiments. These distorted narratives twist the meaning of Mamdani’s win beyond recognition. To claim that the election of a single Muslim in one city heralds the nation’s embrace of Islam as its faith is ludicrous.
Cutting through the nonsense, one X user remarked: “If a foreigner is in your country and demands you accept their culture as your culture or change your beliefs for that person’s religious needs … That’s not an immigrant. That’s an invader.” Indeed.
Perhaps the biggest message from Mamdani’s victory, and one that is more grounded in reality, is that socialism is now an acceptable economic system in the U.S. For a startling number of Americans — particularly the young, who have no idea of the misery it has caused wherever it’s been tried — socialism, even Marxism, has become a preferred alternative to capitalism.
The Mamdani victory party brought together a familiar lineup of far-left figures. Among them were journalist Mehdi Hasan, controversial influencer Hasan Piker, former New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman — who may be tapped to run the NYC school system, and Mahmoud Khalil, best known for organizing the anti-Israel protests at Columbia University and his ongoing fight against deportation.
In the clip below, Hasan asked Piker, who has denied Hamas’s atrocities against Israel, “How do you feel about a socialist mayor?”
Piker said he felt “electric.” He emphasized that “being uncompromising in your values, whether it be about touching that third rail and speaking out about Israel or primarily focusing on affordability in your campaign strategy, it turns out, is very effective.”
He went on to say that the U.S. remains “at the heart of the imperial war,” adding, “This is a country that defeated the USSR, unfortunately.”
“Everyday Americans,” as Piker sees it, “are finally arriving at the conclusion that perhaps there is an alternative out there … that focuses on them as opposed to the interests of the billionaires and millionaires.”
An exhilarated Bowman told comrade Hasan, “Socialism is not a dirty word anymore. We’re taking on all right-wing fake MAGA tough guys.”
All of these people need a reality check. First, Mamdani was elected mayor, not president — and New York’s political graveyard is littered with former mayors who quickly faded into irrelevance.
Next, New York City isn’t representative of the U.S. According to the most recent report from the New York State Board of Elections, just 17% of voters in the city are registered Republicans.
Although the mayor-elect is wildly popular in New York City, the Democratic think tank The Third Way reported that “he remains one of the most unpopular Democrats in the country, with a net approval of -14 nationwide. … His policies and message are radical and politically toxic outside the deep blue confines of New York City.”
Additionally, Mamdani’s nearest rival, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was hardly a formidable opponent. He resigned in disgrace in 2021 after the state attorney general found he had “sexually harassed multiple women and fostered a toxic, fearful work environment.”
Fearing a Mamdani victory, many residents have already fled the city, and more are certain to follow. Ironically, it’s the taxpayers footing the bill for his socialist dreams who are first out the door.
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As commentator Stephen A. Smith pointed out this week, “The people who love Mamdani are not the ones who pay the bills and the taxes.” In other words, he may soon run out of other people’s money to spend.
The radicals within Mamdani’s base are treating his victory like the dawn of a new era. Celebration is one thing — but they’d do well to remember that he won an election, not a revolution.