Thanks Miles. I have to disagree with you on the reason that Mamdani didn’t win by a larger margin - Islamophobia. All,of,the younger people I know in NYC voted for him because of his positions. Even younger Jewish people voted for him. But many people did not vote for him because he is Muslim. Just as you have to consider why people might not vote for any other black of brown person because of race, you must consider that here. So, while some may have preferred a more centrist candidate, it is entirely possible that his margin was lower because he is Muslim. For those of us who don’t care about religion unless it impacts policy, this could be missed.
Thank you for saying the quiet part out loud. We somehow have to get most Americans to understand that the Muslim religion is largely a peaceful one: it's only at the fringes where the violence is advocated for.
Sadly we have entire nations ruled by extremist factions that have taken that stance as a path to power.
Muslims in the mold of Mamdani have no violence in their hearts to cling to. Understanding that is accepting the true nature of our reality.
The very fact that Cuomo sold his soul to Trump made him totally unacceptable. That with his history made him even more unacceptable. The Chassids didn't vote for Mandani simply because he was a muslim. And this, in spite of the fact that many Chassids are on welfare, and would have given them more support than any other candidate in this election.
I have to point out the obvious here - if Cuomo (a dem running as independent) was not on the ballot, Mamdani would have far exceeded 50% most likely 75% or even more. And I would also argue, Mamdani does represent a move to the left that resonated very well with young and working class New Yorkers. Consider this - when Trump-voting poor see their ACA subsidies dry up, they might come to see "Medicare For All" in a different light. Health/childcare expenses are a very big deal for all Americans, not just city folk. Finally, there is another way to look at this - key economic issues like the above are becoming more "center-type" policies so politicians supporting them may not be viewed as fringe in the near future.
Thank you Miles! The center has to stay grounded in order to keep our country upright. It’s been weak and left the country teetering for a long time. The center is pragmatism. The center wants efficient and effective government. The center is concerned about Americans who need help. People in the center need to respect their own role in the rising tide against Donald Trump. The center may not be flashy but it is essential.
I think you missed a much larger story about Mamdani. One look at everyone running against him would tell everyone all they needed to know. The current office-holder, oozing in his support for the Mango Pustule, couldn't even clear 1%.
Mamdani is far less left than the demonizing right claims. Whatever his title, he’s likely be a mayor cut from the familiar LaGuardia style. I believe New York still stood after his term ended as well. And he barely cleared 41% when he was first elected. Just saying.
Young people voted not to be enslaved by economic policies that the self-styled "centrists" starting with Bill Clinton acquiesced to, and profited from.
What "centrists" claim is "The Center" is definitely to the right of what poll after poll shows the majority of Americans want on allegedly "left" issues like universal background checks, safe and legal abortions, paths to citizenship, AND, like it or lump it, trans rights protections.
"Centrism" is code for "Yeah, sure, I'll sacrifice that other person's rights."
No, these issues are not past. We still do not have our gun violence pandemic under control. Safe and legal abortions have disappeared across the South-- only VA now doesn't have serious restrictions. We don't have a path to citizenship, and millions of people who could use it have been violently thrown out. And everyone but heterosexuals are worried or worse. "Centrism" only looks to maintain a status quo... which in fact only serves the top 10%.
So exiting to see many young voters lined up to vote. We should strive to reach out to those who will be 18 and eligible to vote in the midterms and 2028. Starting today I’ll be encouraging my grandchildren to register to vote when they reach 18. They’re the future and all of us are: WE the people!!!
Stability, efficiency and a government that serves all people! Vote out the crazy far right, replace the old dems that couldn't support someone like Mamdani and bring on the progressives like Bernie Sanders and AOC. They are what we need right now to turn this country around!
Miles, your comparison in the Mamdani race is apples to oranges. It was essentially a 1-on-1 primary not a D vs. R; even though Cuomo played the R.
In my view a closer comparison is Bloomberg’s 2001 race, 50.3% 47.9%.
Having said that, Ds need to push back against R attempt to nationalize this race. It is important that Ds appreciate and learn from the R. But it is the totality of the D victory and the state wide races says more about the national story.
The candidates should not be from cook cutters; they need to match the race they are competing in. Mamdani was the right candidate for NYC. Spanberger and Sherrill were the right candidates for VA and NJ. Flip them around and the results would not be the same b
A few thoughts, there was nothing meager about Zohran Mamdani’s victory in NYC. You may believe centrism is the story. I do not. I would have preferred you show Mayor elect Mamdani the respect he has earned. There was no call for you to take the shots you did in this post. Your analysis of each of these three races was far too simplistic.
Well I guess the never t Rumpers want to take over the D party because they don’t have anywhere else to go. At least they don’t want to associate with the Nazis and that’s a good thing. Wanting democracy instead of fascism is a good thing. Still in the USA, we seem to have just the 2 viable parties. We keep hearing the R party is the right and the D party is the left. I think we should let our left party be left instead of adhering to the centrist sh!t that the never Trumpers want. That centrist neoliberal sh!t is what brought t Rump (Don the Con) to power in the first place. It was the conservatives that paved the way to t Rump. I would prefer to get to universal healthcare as a human right and taxing the rich in order to protect our democracy. I’ll keep working for pulling the D party leftward. The oligarchs are out of control and capitalism has been allowed to run amok. We really need a government that will work for the people who are not corporations. We need more people like Zohran Mamdani winning elections. We need to get the oligarchs and plutocrats money out of our elections and out of our governments. #TaxTheRich #MedicareForAll
All I've heard is on Substack is that Democrats need to stay away from the center. You're saying that the new Governor won because she went to the center. She won because Trump has screwed us and people are angry. And why Mamdani didn't win by a bigger margin is that this country is full of racist people. He has a voice that we need to listen to.
Yes. It seems that progressives can be seen as centrists if the divisive stuff is just pushed to the back burner. It's their votes in Congress not their rhetoric on the stump that matter after all.
I could not give a damn about what trump and his apostles think about the outcome, but I hope the message to Democrats is loud and clear: be sane, be calm, and stay in the center because it allows enough room for people on either end of the spectrum to find a home.
Reliance on terms like "centrist" is at best lazy and at worst deceptive. What is "the center" anyway? According to cognitive science, there is no such thing as "the center." (Read G. Lakoff.)
We go liberal-conservative on an array of social-economic preferences. We may be socially liberal on one issue (because we have a gay son) and economically conservative on another issue (because we can't imagine living the way we like to live under $10M/ year). This is why so many people feel they are not represented by either of our two political parties. So: What are the actual policies that make one a "leftist" or a "centrist"? And who gets to decide? Are universal background checks a progressive idea? How about trans rights protections? Safe & legal abortions? The vast majority of Americans want them. Way too many old political operatives say Don't say that! Universal healthcare is fiercely opposed by the health insurance industry. Americans want Big Money out of politics. I could go on and on. Young people are not scared of the term "socialist" and most of them know that late-stage capitalism has sold them down the river to a grim future-- including that censored Progressive topic, climate breakdown.
Who gets to decide what's Acceptable, Important to discuss?
Not the geriatric club-- we'll be off the planet before Hurricane Melissas are the new norm and we're recycling urine for drinking water. Who decides? Not a Paul Begala. Not a Bill Clinton. Not people who shamelessly spew bigotry when they see their campaign for power is not persuasive.
Remember, all you presently-comfortable folks who only want to restore a status quo that served you nicely enough: there aren't enough of you to win big elections.
You're going to have to stop punching left--punching down, in fact. You're going to have to learn to listen instead of telling people what's good for them. Which, not coincidentally, is what's good for You!
Bill Clinton did very well for Bill Clinton. The record shows: he did not do well for his party. And here we are.
The election results pose a challenge for Trump, as they indicate a voter demand for stability and moderate leadership over disorder and extremism. You can see how Spanberger’s and Sherrill’s wins reinforce a practical, governance-focused message that undercuts the caricature from which FOTUS benefits. Notice that Mamdani’s victory in New York City complicates any simple narrative about a progressive wave and suggests limits to activist-driven appeals even in very blue places. How will you evaluate whether future Democratic strategy should prioritize the center versus building a broader, more energizing coalition? I heard someone say the party should welcome the rainbow. I like the word picture.
Hi folks! Just joined the paying community 20 minutes ago after hearing about defiance.org on today's livestream. I'm really looking forward to this different approach for advancing our activism.
And on that theme, please allow me to offer the core of mine: unique phraseology tied to outside-the-box ideas. I frame it all through hashtags that I promote through memes as you'll see on my feed.
While there's a mountain of reasons for outrage, #RepubloFascism wins when left and right go nose to nose about it.
We must take a step back and realize that our collective reality emerges when we go wallet to wallet instead. This is a 99% versus 1% struggle, after all.
And the only way to stop Trump's #SquanderingAmericasGreatness is for the 70% of us disgusted with all this to stand shoulder to shoulder as #PolarOppositePatriots.
And our motto should be: "Our patriotism is stronger than what divides us. Our visions of what America should look like may be different, but one thing we know is THIS AIN'T IT."
Thanks Miles. I have to disagree with you on the reason that Mamdani didn’t win by a larger margin - Islamophobia. All,of,the younger people I know in NYC voted for him because of his positions. Even younger Jewish people voted for him. But many people did not vote for him because he is Muslim. Just as you have to consider why people might not vote for any other black of brown person because of race, you must consider that here. So, while some may have preferred a more centrist candidate, it is entirely possible that his margin was lower because he is Muslim. For those of us who don’t care about religion unless it impacts policy, this could be missed.
Thank you for saying the quiet part out loud. We somehow have to get most Americans to understand that the Muslim religion is largely a peaceful one: it's only at the fringes where the violence is advocated for.
Sadly we have entire nations ruled by extremist factions that have taken that stance as a path to power.
Muslims in the mold of Mamdani have no violence in their hearts to cling to. Understanding that is accepting the true nature of our reality.
You hit the nail on the head. A few in my family didn't vote for him because he's Muslim and they love Trump so voted for Cuomo.
The very fact that Cuomo sold his soul to Trump made him totally unacceptable. That with his history made him even more unacceptable. The Chassids didn't vote for Mandani simply because he was a muslim. And this, in spite of the fact that many Chassids are on welfare, and would have given them more support than any other candidate in this election.
I have to point out the obvious here - if Cuomo (a dem running as independent) was not on the ballot, Mamdani would have far exceeded 50% most likely 75% or even more. And I would also argue, Mamdani does represent a move to the left that resonated very well with young and working class New Yorkers. Consider this - when Trump-voting poor see their ACA subsidies dry up, they might come to see "Medicare For All" in a different light. Health/childcare expenses are a very big deal for all Americans, not just city folk. Finally, there is another way to look at this - key economic issues like the above are becoming more "center-type" policies so politicians supporting them may not be viewed as fringe in the near future.
Thank you Miles! The center has to stay grounded in order to keep our country upright. It’s been weak and left the country teetering for a long time. The center is pragmatism. The center wants efficient and effective government. The center is concerned about Americans who need help. People in the center need to respect their own role in the rising tide against Donald Trump. The center may not be flashy but it is essential.
I think you missed a much larger story about Mamdani. One look at everyone running against him would tell everyone all they needed to know. The current office-holder, oozing in his support for the Mango Pustule, couldn't even clear 1%.
Mamdani is far less left than the demonizing right claims. Whatever his title, he’s likely be a mayor cut from the familiar LaGuardia style. I believe New York still stood after his term ended as well. And he barely cleared 41% when he was first elected. Just saying.
I totally agree with your point. He ran as Mayor of New York. He wasn’t running for the Governor of New York. And he wasn’t a household name .
As I’ve said, many times, younger people need to claim the mantle of leadership. The enthusiasm of younger voters is heartening.
The newly elected people read the room rightly: At its heart, America is centrist.
Let’s hope that message sticks with the party leadership.
Young people voted not to be enslaved by economic policies that the self-styled "centrists" starting with Bill Clinton acquiesced to, and profited from.
What "centrists" claim is "The Center" is definitely to the right of what poll after poll shows the majority of Americans want on allegedly "left" issues like universal background checks, safe and legal abortions, paths to citizenship, AND, like it or lump it, trans rights protections.
"Centrism" is code for "Yeah, sure, I'll sacrifice that other person's rights."
We will disagree. The issues you claim are left were, years ago, but not longer. Progressivism becomes centrist in the end.
No, these issues are not past. We still do not have our gun violence pandemic under control. Safe and legal abortions have disappeared across the South-- only VA now doesn't have serious restrictions. We don't have a path to citizenship, and millions of people who could use it have been violently thrown out. And everyone but heterosexuals are worried or worse. "Centrism" only looks to maintain a status quo... which in fact only serves the top 10%.
My point was the discussion of these issues is not new, and that the center supports these issues.
So exiting to see many young voters lined up to vote. We should strive to reach out to those who will be 18 and eligible to vote in the midterms and 2028. Starting today I’ll be encouraging my grandchildren to register to vote when they reach 18. They’re the future and all of us are: WE the people!!!
Stability, efficiency and a government that serves all people! Vote out the crazy far right, replace the old dems that couldn't support someone like Mamdani and bring on the progressives like Bernie Sanders and AOC. They are what we need right now to turn this country around!
Miles, your comparison in the Mamdani race is apples to oranges. It was essentially a 1-on-1 primary not a D vs. R; even though Cuomo played the R.
In my view a closer comparison is Bloomberg’s 2001 race, 50.3% 47.9%.
Having said that, Ds need to push back against R attempt to nationalize this race. It is important that Ds appreciate and learn from the R. But it is the totality of the D victory and the state wide races says more about the national story.
The candidates should not be from cook cutters; they need to match the race they are competing in. Mamdani was the right candidate for NYC. Spanberger and Sherrill were the right candidates for VA and NJ. Flip them around and the results would not be the same b
This comment 💯 thank you!
A few thoughts, there was nothing meager about Zohran Mamdani’s victory in NYC. You may believe centrism is the story. I do not. I would have preferred you show Mayor elect Mamdani the respect he has earned. There was no call for you to take the shots you did in this post. Your analysis of each of these three races was far too simplistic.
This times 100. I do not accept that anyone, especially an exiled Republican, gets to tell Democrats how we should think.
Well I guess the never t Rumpers want to take over the D party because they don’t have anywhere else to go. At least they don’t want to associate with the Nazis and that’s a good thing. Wanting democracy instead of fascism is a good thing. Still in the USA, we seem to have just the 2 viable parties. We keep hearing the R party is the right and the D party is the left. I think we should let our left party be left instead of adhering to the centrist sh!t that the never Trumpers want. That centrist neoliberal sh!t is what brought t Rump (Don the Con) to power in the first place. It was the conservatives that paved the way to t Rump. I would prefer to get to universal healthcare as a human right and taxing the rich in order to protect our democracy. I’ll keep working for pulling the D party leftward. The oligarchs are out of control and capitalism has been allowed to run amok. We really need a government that will work for the people who are not corporations. We need more people like Zohran Mamdani winning elections. We need to get the oligarchs and plutocrats money out of our elections and out of our governments. #TaxTheRich #MedicareForAll
Thank you, this was a great read, it left me with hope which is often in short supply around here.
All I've heard is on Substack is that Democrats need to stay away from the center. You're saying that the new Governor won because she went to the center. She won because Trump has screwed us and people are angry. And why Mamdani didn't win by a bigger margin is that this country is full of racist people. He has a voice that we need to listen to.
Today’s center is yesterday’s radical left. I call it progress.
Yes. It seems that progressives can be seen as centrists if the divisive stuff is just pushed to the back burner. It's their votes in Congress not their rhetoric on the stump that matter after all.
I could not give a damn about what trump and his apostles think about the outcome, but I hope the message to Democrats is loud and clear: be sane, be calm, and stay in the center because it allows enough room for people on either end of the spectrum to find a home.
Reliance on terms like "centrist" is at best lazy and at worst deceptive. What is "the center" anyway? According to cognitive science, there is no such thing as "the center." (Read G. Lakoff.)
We go liberal-conservative on an array of social-economic preferences. We may be socially liberal on one issue (because we have a gay son) and economically conservative on another issue (because we can't imagine living the way we like to live under $10M/ year). This is why so many people feel they are not represented by either of our two political parties. So: What are the actual policies that make one a "leftist" or a "centrist"? And who gets to decide? Are universal background checks a progressive idea? How about trans rights protections? Safe & legal abortions? The vast majority of Americans want them. Way too many old political operatives say Don't say that! Universal healthcare is fiercely opposed by the health insurance industry. Americans want Big Money out of politics. I could go on and on. Young people are not scared of the term "socialist" and most of them know that late-stage capitalism has sold them down the river to a grim future-- including that censored Progressive topic, climate breakdown.
Who gets to decide what's Acceptable, Important to discuss?
Not the geriatric club-- we'll be off the planet before Hurricane Melissas are the new norm and we're recycling urine for drinking water. Who decides? Not a Paul Begala. Not a Bill Clinton. Not people who shamelessly spew bigotry when they see their campaign for power is not persuasive.
Remember, all you presently-comfortable folks who only want to restore a status quo that served you nicely enough: there aren't enough of you to win big elections.
You're going to have to stop punching left--punching down, in fact. You're going to have to learn to listen instead of telling people what's good for them. Which, not coincidentally, is what's good for You!
Bill Clinton did very well for Bill Clinton. The record shows: he did not do well for his party. And here we are.
The election results pose a challenge for Trump, as they indicate a voter demand for stability and moderate leadership over disorder and extremism. You can see how Spanberger’s and Sherrill’s wins reinforce a practical, governance-focused message that undercuts the caricature from which FOTUS benefits. Notice that Mamdani’s victory in New York City complicates any simple narrative about a progressive wave and suggests limits to activist-driven appeals even in very blue places. How will you evaluate whether future Democratic strategy should prioritize the center versus building a broader, more energizing coalition? I heard someone say the party should welcome the rainbow. I like the word picture.
Hi folks! Just joined the paying community 20 minutes ago after hearing about defiance.org on today's livestream. I'm really looking forward to this different approach for advancing our activism.
And on that theme, please allow me to offer the core of mine: unique phraseology tied to outside-the-box ideas. I frame it all through hashtags that I promote through memes as you'll see on my feed.
While there's a mountain of reasons for outrage, #RepubloFascism wins when left and right go nose to nose about it.
We must take a step back and realize that our collective reality emerges when we go wallet to wallet instead. This is a 99% versus 1% struggle, after all.
And the only way to stop Trump's #SquanderingAmericasGreatness is for the 70% of us disgusted with all this to stand shoulder to shoulder as #PolarOppositePatriots.
And our motto should be: "Our patriotism is stronger than what divides us. Our visions of what America should look like may be different, but one thing we know is THIS AIN'T IT."