The Conversation: Zohran Mamdani (“commie corridor”)

Global Edition | 7 November 2025

This newsletter is coming to you direct from what is now known (somewhat) affectionately in New York as the “commie corridor” – a stretch of Queens that has become the heartland of progressive, Democratic Socialist voters in the city. As such, I have long been aware of the Zohran Mamdani effect. His posters and street volunteers have been omnipresent in recent months and seemingly everyone in my neighborhood knows him personally – he even married a friend of mine (albeit as an officiant rather than a groom).

And while Mamdani’s success in the New York mayoral race was no surprise given his consistent poll lead, it is nonetheless a breakthrough moment: For the first time, New York’s mayor will be a Muslim, and someone of South Asian descent, also African-born. At 34, he is the youngest person to hold the position in more than a century. But what does his win, and that of other Democrats this week, mean for U.S. politics?

First off, it suggests that a focus on cost-of-living issues pays off. The budgets of many American families have been stretched thin of late. So alleviating measures – such as free high-quality child care for all – are particularly attractive to voters, as labor and inequalities expert Simon Black’s article explains.

Meanwhile, U.S. politics scholar Andrew Gawthorpe suggests that while Trump wasn’t on the ballot, he kinda was. And the results on Tuesday night were a clear indication that voters are “fed up with the lack of progress on reducing the cost of living, the brutality of immigration raids, and the corruption and chaos that many perceive to exist under the Trump administration.”Noting the immediate backdrop to this week’s off-year elections, Bruce Wolpe adds that U.S. voters are also blaming Republicans for the current government shutdown.

But he cautions newly buoyant Democrats that what flies in New York may not be to everyone’s tastes: “To take back Congress next year and the White House in 2028, the Democrats will need all kinds of flowers to bloom — not just Mamdani’s bouquet.

“Elsewhere this week, we have been looking ahead to next week’s COP30 climate summit in Brazil and discussing why cyclists running red lights isn’t such a bad thing

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Matt WilliamsSenior International Editor – Queens, New York

About michelleclarke2015

Life event that changes all: Horse riding accident in Zimbabwe in 1993, a fractured skull et al including bipolar anxiety, chronic fatigue …. co-morbidities (Nietzche 'He who has the reason why can deal with any how' details my health history from 1993 to date). 17th 2017 August operation for breast cancer (no indications just an appointment came from BreastCheck through the Post). Trinity College Dublin Business Economics and Social Studies (but no degree) 1997-2003; UCD 1997/1998 night classes) essays, projects, writings. Trinity Horizon Programme 1997/98 (Centre for Women Studies Trinity College Dublin/St. Patrick's Foundation (Professor McKeon) EU Horizon funded: research study of 15 women (I was one of this group and it became the cornerstone of my journey to now 2017) over 9 mth period diagnosed with depression and their reintegration into society, with special emphasis on work, arts, further education; Notes from time at Trinity Horizon Project 1997/98; Articles written for Irishhealth.com 2003/2004; St Patricks Foundation monthly lecture notes for a specific period in time; Selection of Poetry including poems written by people I know; Quotations 1998-2017; other writings mainly with theme of social justice under the heading Citizen Journalism Ireland. Letters written to friends about life in Zimbabwe; Family history including Michael Comyn KC, my grandfather, my grandmother's family, the O'Donnellan ffrench Blake-Forsters; Moral wrong: An acrimonious divorce but the real injustice was the Catholic Church granting an annulment – you can read it and make your own judgment, I have mine. Topics I have written about include annual Brain Awareness week, Mashonaland Irish Associataion in Zimbabwe, Suicide (a life sentence to those left behind); Nostalgia: Tara Hill, Co. Meath.

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