Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.

Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the New York City mayoral race demonstrates an inspiring opportunity to heal the dangerous political divide demonstrated by the race.

As a NYC native from Harlem, I’ve seen how detrimental the cost of living is to residents. Those who have lived the majority of their lives here feel the odds are stacked against them, working every day to pay rent, groceries and transportation.

I’ve lived in Harlem since I was 1 year old, and I remember when it was affordable. I remember block parties and community meetings, as well as family-owned restaurants going back 50 years being replaced with conglomerate stores. There was a stronger sense of community before wealthy transplants took over my block and gentrified Harlem and other neighborhoods.

The people who’ve moved here in the last 10 years are here for one thing: to make money. But Zohran Mamdani recognizes the heart and soul of this city isn’t the hedge fund managers and tech oligarchs the defeated candidate, Andrew Cuomo, is so bent on protecting. Mamdani more genuinely and accurately credits the deli owners, artists, teachers and taxi drivers as making New York the pocket of culture and beauty that it is.

Andrew Cuomo, on the other hand, was backed by a large part of the Democratic and Republican establishments despite his sexual assault allegations and shameful resignation from his governor position in 2021.

The dynamic between these two candidates demonstrated a very clear divide between our two political parties. I am glad Mamdani shows the promise of relieving the clear indifference to the needs of non-billionaires within our two-party system.

For instance, once the top 5% of New York residents realized Zohran’s vision for the city’s future wasn’t to make them richer, they banded together to make sure he was not elected, abandoning political affiliation altogether.

Democratic leaders refused to endorse Mamdani, with Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi himself backing Cuomo. Despite political polarization being stronger than ever, Cuomo simultaneously received an endorsement from President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and other notable Republicans.

The implications are clear: when billionaires and millionaires are at risk of being taxed – even just 2% more – they focus on self-serving objectives rather than universal progress. At the end of the day, this country prioritizes protecting the rich, even if it means tax on their wealth could improve our city’s infrastructure and help vulnerable communities. Instead, they attempted to put millions of dollars into ensuring Mamdani lost the election.

Republicans didn’t even back their own candidate, Curtis Sliwa, and billionaires tried to bribe him to drop out for splitting the vote against Cuomo. Having three serious candidates on the ballot resulted in a fairer election, and it showed the possibility of shifting away from our bipartisan system. For the first time in my voting career, I didn’t feel like I was choosing between the lesser of two evils – I felt like I actually had a choice that would lead to change.

This election for mayor brought to light all of the flaws of our country’s two-party system, but his victory gives me hope that the New York I grew up in can come back. I’m hopeful he will prioritize community and equity over profit, division and displacement.

Mamdani’s win shows that the people who actually live in the city want change, too. Even if Mamdani can’t come through on all of his promises, as many critics have suggested, we can be proud we’ve elected someone with new ideas and whose interests and funding come from an honest, hardworking place.

New York City has been and will be a model for the rest of the country. His win holds inspiration and empowerment. For once, the working class will be the priority, not just as a victim of manipulation for votes, but to be heard as a significant voice.

Helena Sauriat is a sophomore majoring in journalism and history. She can be reached at hrsauria@syr.edu.

Published on November 4, 2025 at 10:48 pm