2025 is what political pundits call an “off-year” election: There is no election for president or governor. It is the most local of the four-year election cycle, with only local town and county races on the ballot.
Yet, just 100 miles to our west is a high-profile election to choose the next mayor of New York. It has drawn national attention since an unknown state assemblyman turned the political world upside down by winning the Democratic primary. His name is Zohran Mamdani.
Why was this a political earthquake?
Well, first of all, he is an avowed Democratic Socialist who, just four years ago, upset a mainstream Democratic incumbent to gain an Assembly seat. He is only 33 years old, making him younger than all three of my children. Finally, after polling in single digits early in the primary campaign, he came out of nowhere to defeat former Governor Andrew Cuomo in a stunning upset.
The conventional wisdom was that despite the fact that Cuomo had resigned in disgrace four years ago, his name recognition and reputation for getting things done would be enough to overcome a young, unknown socialist candidate. Cuomo obviously believed that. You had a better chance of seeing D.B. Cooper or Amelia Earhart on the campaign trail than Cuomo.
It was a stunning defeat.
The result reverberated across the nation, viewed as some sort of bellwether about the future direction of the national Democratic Party. Maybe, but my gut tells me that the Upper West Side of Manhattan is not representative of the country as a whole.
Should any of this matter to us on the East End of Long Island? After all, there are no decisions that are made by the mayor of New York City that directly affect Riverhead, Sag Harbor or Montauk. Yet, it can’t be denied that what happens in New York City affects the region.
A thriving New York City benefits the entire region and the entire state. New York City provides a disproportionate amount of revenue to the state treasury.
The East End real estate market is largely dependent on the New York City economy. Many people have residences both here and in the city.
We share the same media market; we love the same sports teams. Anyone running for office in the city manages to make a fundraising junket to the Hamptons during the summer. The city is a cultural center we all enjoy. When we travel there, we say, “We’re going to the city,” as if it is the only one.
It can be a love/hate relationship. By the end of August, locals will proclaim on social media that they can’t wait for the “citiots” to go home. Many East Enders flocked to eastern Long Island to escape what they didn’t like about city life.
In Albany and in Washington, D.C., the interests of New York City and Long Island can often be very different. Whether it is school aid or transportation funding, we are always fighting for our fair share of the pie. I spent much of my career in Albany arguing for the interests of Long Island against the larger New York City delegation.
So, how do I view the mayor’s race?
First, I served with Zohran Mamdani in Albany for four years. Let me first confess that I like him a lot. While we didn’t often agree on the state’s priorities, we did agree that affordability is a major problem for working and middle class New Yorkers.
I was impressed with his ability to disagree with me without being disagreeable. Even when we would be on opposite sides of a debate, the next time I would see him, it would be with a smile and a friendly greeting.
Even before he burst on the scene in the mayoralty primary, his communication and advocacy skills were evident. His campaign has touched a nerve and energized young voters across the city.
While he did run a masterful primary campaign, he also benefited from the flaws of his opponents. Let’s face it — the Menendez brothers have higher poll numbers than Andrew Cuomo, Eric Adams and Curtis Sliwa.
The general election campaign remains ahead. Mamdani is well positioned to win the election in a four-candidate field. There are still lots of questions. Will Adams and Sliwa drop out, leaving Mamdani and Cuomo in a one-on-one race? Will President Donald Trump take steps to make that happen?
Will mainstream state Democratic leaders, who are currently on the sidelines, relent and endorse the Mamdani candidacy? After all, in 2016, when Hillary Clinton defeated Bernie Sanders, there were calls for unity. Isn’t the need for unity today the same when the shoe is on the other foot?
If Mamdani does win, will his considerable campaign skills translate into competent governing skills? He has no demonstrated management experience. Will he be able to get the approvals from Albany to enact much of his program?
Will the election of a Democratic Socialist in New York City provide campaign fodder for Long Island Republicans in next year’s federal and state elections?
It all remains to be seen. One thing is certain: Whatever happens will affect us here on Long Island.
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