It is truly something to watch Zohran Mamdani, the recent Democratic primary winner for New York City mayor, navigate the political landscape. He has managed to pull off what many would have thought impossible, especially given some of the things he has said and done in the past. It is almost as if the bar was set so low by his competition that anyone with a pulse and basic social media instincts could come out on top.

Let us not forget, this is the same Zohran Mamdani who, under his rap moniker Young Cardamom, released music that, to many, sounded like outright support for leaders of Hamas. It was not merely a vague political statement. It was music meant to be consumed and shared, lending a kind of artistic legitimacy to figures whom most mainstream politicians would not go near under any circumstance.

He has also publicly questioned the very purpose of jails and prisons, wondering what good they truly serve. In an interview from 2020, he speculated about how much harm is actually prevented versus created by incarceration. While some might see this as a progressive stance, for many, it comes across as deeply out of touch with the realities of public safety and the need to protect communities from serious offenders. He even went so far as to tweet in 2020 that “White supremacy has many faces, from the police and prison systems in America to occupation and apartheid in Palestine.” That kind of rhetoric, which compares local law enforcement to global conflicts, alienates a significant portion of the electorate and feels incredibly divisive.

Then there is the whole “globalize the intifada” controversy. While he now says he will not use the phrase and will discourage others from doing so, he initially refused to condemn it outright. He defended its meaning as a call for equality and Palestinian rights. That refusal to immediately distance himself from a phrase widely seen as inciting violence against Jewish people raised serious concerns, particularly among Jewish leaders. It was a moment that, at least to some, signaled a willingness to court a more radical fringe, even at the risk of alienating a substantial portion of voters.

So, how is he attempting to clean up his act now? It appears he is doing a lot of talking about “affordability.” He is pitching ideas like freezing rents on stabilized apartments, making public buses free, and launching a pilot program for city-owned grocery stores. These are issues that resonate with struggling New Yorkers, and his campaign has been highly effective at promoting these messages. He has also been meeting with Democratic lawmakers in Washington, discussing campaign strategy and how to use effective communication to reach voters. It is a clear effort to shift the conversation away from his past controversial statements and toward a more relatable, economically focused platform. He is particularly focused on cost-of-living concerns to appeal to young voters who, while deeply burdened by their financial struggles in the city, may not have a full understanding of complex policy mechanisms or the feasibility of his more radical proposals. His ability to connect with this demographic on tangible pain points has been a cornerstone of his campaign’s success.

However, the real story here is far less about Zohran Mamdani’s political skill and more about the dismal state of the Democratic field he faced. When your main opponents include someone like Eric Adams, who has faced federal charges of bribery, fraud, and soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations, as well as lawsuits from former police officials accusing him of running the NYPD as a criminal enterprise, it is not exactly a high bar.

Then there is Andrew Cuomo. His political career collapsed under the weight of multiple sexual harassment allegations. The state attorney general’s report detailed how he allegedly harassed eleven women, engaged in unwanted touching, and made suggestive comments, creating a hostile work environment. In addition, there were controversies around his administration’s handling of nursing home COVID-19 deaths and accusations of using taxpayer-funded resources for his book deal. He resigned from the governorship in disgrace and does not appear to seriously want to be mayor.

When these are the alternatives, a candidate like Zohran Mamdani, despite a history of inflammatory statements and radical positions, begins to look like a viable option. His well-organized campaign focuses on issues that matter to everyday voters. This highlights how disillusioned the electorate has become with the established political class. Many are willing to take a chance on someone who, in a different political climate, would likely have been dismissed outright. It is a testament to how badly some members of the old guard have damaged their own reputations. That has created space for someone like Mamdani to step in and seize the moment, regardless of the controversies that would have once disqualified him.