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There is a New York terrified of Mamdani and Trump has a move ready to "destroy" the Democrats

2025-07-02 19:48:54Pikëpamje SHKRUAR NGA MARIO PLATERO
There is a New York terrified of Mamdani and Trump has a move ready to
Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo

Mario Platero – Corriere della Sera

Cuomo, defeated in the Democratic primary, wants to run as an independent. But Trump is ready to withdraw his support for the Republican candidate in favor of the current mayor, a former Democrat. To exploit the disgust of a section of New Yorkers for Mamdani. And to (re)plunge the Democrats into complete chaos.

As in earlier eras, sometimes the fates of politics are closely linked to events that seem personal, perhaps not as public as an aristocratic wedding, but undoubtedly more significant for the political behind-the-scenes.

At one such event, I recently met with Andrew Cuomo, the former governor of New York, who had just suffered a crushing defeat in the Democratic primary. He explained to me that he would be running as an independent in the November election for mayor of New York City. His goal: to show that the closed primary system is producing results that do not represent the true sentiments of the Democratic electorate in the center, even in a progressive city like New York.

“We need to neutralize the damage that the party would suffer nationally if someone like Mamdani were elected,” Cuomo told me.

This is a widespread concern that has erupted among the party elites and structures after last week's surprising result. The victory of Zohran Mamdani, a candidate with deep socialist views and ties to Ocasio-Cortez's left wing, has sparked panic. If he is confirmed as mayor in the November election, this would, according to many, be a disaster for the future of the party, for the city and for the 2026 midterm elections. Donald Trump has already turned this development into a political weapon, portraying the Democratic Party as "communist".

The problem for Cuomo is that President Trump has already entered the scene, and according to informed sources, he intends to support another independent candidate: Eric Adams, the current mayor, a former Democrat, who was once in a difficult position due to investigations, but who has been "rescued" from Washington's intervention and has returned to the spotlight after Mamdani's victory and Cuomo's loss.

Adams, just yesterday, in a live television appearance, approved a record $116 billion budget for the city. He has concrete results on his side and the power that comes with the position.

“I will definitely vote for Adams,” says a prominent Republican ideologue. “He is stable, experienced, and represents continuity.”

What about the official Republican candidate, Curtis Silva? He is a figure known for founding the Guardian Angels, a volunteer anti-crime group, with strong conservative views, but is not seen as a serious candidate, not even by Trump himself.

In fact, Trump would be much more interested in a victory for Adams, an African-American expelled from the ranks of the Democrats, who triumphs in the heart of the party in the most democratic city in the US.

Therefore, this race for New York City mayor has become the most delicate and ambiguous battle in the city's history — with extraordinary impact on the national political scene.

Mamdani is a great influence on the youth, a brilliant orator and a Muslim born in Kampala, Uganda. His political message speaks mainly to those who can barely afford their monthly expenses.

His mother was born in Rourkela, India, while his father, originally from Uganda, was also born in Mumbai, India. Mamdani has built his political base on the militant left wing represented by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. He has mobilized Muslim communities and has publicly vowed to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits the city, even though the US does not recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

He has called for a global intifada and was among the founders of the pro-Palestinian movement on campuses that existed before Hamas's attack on Israel. This movement escalated with anti-Semitic protests on American campuses after the events of October 7 and Israel's violent response.

Mamdani also wants to raise taxes on businesses, even though the state already has one of the highest tax rates in the US.

In short, for New York, as the capital of global finance and modern technology (Silicon Alley), but also for the average citizen, Mamdani's victory is seen as a disaster. Although he is an attractive figure, young and full of energy, post-election interviews revealed that many of his young supporters were unfamiliar with his political platform.

Mamdani is only 33 years old, a member of the New York State Assembly, but without any experience in executive leadership. With him at the helm, the recipe for a new wave of elite departure from the city is perfect. Against him, just a week after the primaries, an unusual alliance is forming that extends from the more traditional progressive wings of the Democratic Party to centrist Republicans.

And here we are: the resistance to the November elections has begun. But is it possible that the race will turn into an “independent” duel between Adams and Cuomo? Actually, no. Because both are targeting the same electoral base and could neutralize each other, dividing that 60% of the electorate that is, most likely, anti-Mamdani. In the November elections, whoever gets the most votes wins, even if it is only a relative majority.

In such a scenario, Mamdani could win with 31%, compared to Cuomo's 30% and Adams' 29%. Or worse: Silwa, the Republican candidate, could win, a risk the city cannot afford.

That's why, despite his national goals, which may be legitimate, the pressure on Cuomo to withdraw is so great. Even two major unions that previously supported him have now switched to Mamdani's camp.

What about the Democratic Party itself? If Cuomo withdraws, will it really accept a victory by Adams, a former Democrat now supported by Trump?

"The good of the city comes before party interests," says a centrist Democrat.

"Adams has learned how to govern. Mamdani, not. His victory is the fruit of manipulation by extremist party activists."

At weddings, dinners, and everywhere else in the city, the only talk is about the New York mayoral election. And in this rare mix of events, which only this metropolis can produce, someone personally reminds me of the arrival at Columbia University of Mahmood Mamdani, Zohran's father, a distinguished professor of Ugandan origin who previously taught in Cape Town, South Africa. He is a theorist of anti-colonialism and anti-Zionism, who compares the Israeli presence in Palestine to the continuation of European colonialism.

Mamdan's mother, Mira Nair, is an internationally renowned Indian filmmaker, nominated for an Oscar for the 1988 film "Salaam Bombay" and for many other documentaries. She is also politically engaged. As early as 2013, before the current crisis, she refused to participate in a film festival in Israel as an act of protest.

They both belong to that alternative liberal elite that, according to Trump, has taken advantage of America's hospitality to invade universities with ideologies like Cancel Culture, Woke, MeToo, and others, which the President seeks to eradicate.

So, prepare for a long, difficult, and dramatic marathon in New York, with unexpected events and strong clashes in every corner of the public debate. And, unfortunately, it seems that the path to victory lies through the only card that works today: ideological extremism.


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