As New York votes, Zohran Mamdani's rise becomes America's defining political moment

Washington, DC — Amid the autumn chill, more than 160,000 New Yorkers came out over the weekend to cast their early votes, breaking records and showing unusual enthusiasm that has turned this year's New York mayoral race into a national test of US politics.

Queues were seen around blocks in Brooklyn and Queens in NYC, where voters cited frustration over soaring rents, subway delays, and ongoing uncertainty as reasons to arrive early.

"This isn't just about who fixes the potholes," Maria Gonzalez, a 42-year-old teacher waiting in line in Jackson Heights, told local media. "It's about whether New York stays a place for people like us or turns into a playground for the billionaires."

The surge comes exactly one week before Election Day on November 4, with Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old state assemblyman and Muslim democratic socialist, holding a clear lead in the latest polls over his two main rivals: former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate.

Newsweek tracking poll released on Sunday showed Mamdani at a solid 45 percent support, with Cuomo at 28 percent and Sliwa at 18 percent, the rest undecided.

Analysts point to the huge early turnout, particularly strong in the outer boroughs that carried Mamdani to victory through the June primary, as a worrisome sign for his opponents, who have poured millions into attack ads portraying Mamdani as a radical, communist, and inexperienced Muslim extremist.

Political class stunned

But none of that has stopped Mamdani. This weekend capped with Mamdani's highest-profile rally yet: a sold-out crowd of thousands packing Forest Hills Stadium in Queens on Sunday night, where he shared the stage with Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, his longtime backers.

The event, billed as "New York Is Not for Sale," drew chants of "Zohran! Zohran!" as Sanders, 84, gripped the microphone and warned of a "corporate takeover" of the city.

"We will not be bought!" Sanders, speaking hoarsely, said.

"A victory here in New York will give hope and inspiration to people throughout our country and throughout the world," the Vermont senator added. "That is what this election is about, and that is why Donald Trump is paying attention to this election."

Ocasio-Cortez, who represents parts of Queens and the Bronx, followed with a forceful condemnation of what she called the "MAGA billionaires" trying to derail Mamdani’s campaign. "In nine short days, we will work our hearts out to elect Zohran Kwame Mamdani as the next mayor of the great city of New York," she told the roaring crowd.

Mamdani closed the night by embracing both allies onstage, a moment that went viral, as he declared: "We climbed in the polls faster than Andrew Cuomo could dial Donald Trump’s number," he added. "People began to be able to pronounce my name."

For Mamdani, a Ugandan-born Muslim and son of immigrants who wears his faith and democratic socialism openly, the rally was a high point in his campaign.

Once dismissed as a long-shot, he stunned America's mainstream political class by toppling Cuomo in the Democratic primary, a victory that exposed deep rifts in the party between its youthful, rebellious base and its entrenched old guard.

His platform — rent freezes, free child care, a $30 minimum wage, and less reliance on policing for public safety — has galvanised young voters and communities of colour, but drawn fire from those wary of his consistent criticism of Israel's policies in Gaza.

Beyond City Hall

A Mamdani win in New York, the pulsing financial and cultural heart of America, where Wall Street money meets Broadway magic, could cement the progressive shift in urban Democratic politics, mirroring victories like Ocasio-Cortez's own in 2018.

Political commentators say that Mamdani's victory will send a clear signal to national Democratic leaders that the party’s flank is no longer content with half-measures.

"Not only is Zohran fighting back against racism and Islamophobia, but he is also making a lot of people feel seen for the first time. This is a true leadership moment from him," said Rebecca Katz, a Democratic strategist.

A recent shift that could sway the outcome: a rush of endorsements from the Democratic establishment, long sceptical of Mamdani's bold progressive stance.

On Friday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the Brooklyn Democrat who had demurred for months amid pressure from pro-Israel donors, threw his weight behind the nominee in a statement that called him "a bold voice for working families."

Kathy Hochul made the first move earlier, endorsing Mamdani in a mid-September opinion piece in The Times. Her nod, though, sparked backlash from her own party with Democratic Party chair, Jay Jacobs, calling it a "betrayal of centrism."

Why the sudden awakening?

Party insiders say it's simple math: Mamdani isn't just winning, he's reshaping what it means to be a Democrat today.

What the Democratic party seems to be realising is that despite pushback from MAGA, Trump allies, sceptical media, and billionaire funding for his rivals, Mamdani may be pulling off the unthinkable and heading for a decisive win.

At least 26 billionaires have funneled more than $22 million into anti-Mamdani PACs.

Mamdani, who has criticised Israeli policies, has pushed back by emphasising his outreach to Jewish communities, including endorsements from progressive rabbis.

"I'm running to unite New Yorkers, not divide them," he said at the rally. "Our shared values — justice, dignity, humanity — transcend borders."

In what the commentators have called a David-versus-Goliath showdown for the history books, all eyes are now on candidate Mamdani to see if he can defy expectations.

His backers point to the weekend's energy — and those early numbers — as proof that grassroots momentum trumps big money.

"Let me tell you something else. At a moment when Americans are extremely distressed about where we are as a nation, economically and politically, a victory here in New York will give hope and inspiration to people throughout our country and throughout the world," Sanders said.

In a week, we shall know.