Democrats Collapsed Here Last Year. How’d Zohran Do?
New York’s mayor-elect began his campaign by reaching out to non-voters and Trump supporters. Last November, Zohran Mamdani was an obscure state assemblyman, while the Democratic Party’s reputation in New York City was at its lowest.
In the 2024 election, President Donald Trump gained approximately 100,000 more votes in the city than in 2020. Meanwhile, Kamala Harris's vote count fell over half a million short of Joe Biden’s total. Some of the most notable shifts occurred in immigrant neighborhoods within Mamdani’s home borough of Queens.
The Democratic collapse in outer boroughs reflected the party’s national struggles. While investing millions to attract college-educated suburban voters, Democrats were losing support among working-class, non-white voters in blue cities—groups that have historically been the party’s core base. A recurring term among political analysts and locals was “realignment.”
Community Sentiments in Queens
During spring interviews with residents and officials in Jackson Heights and Corona, Queens, there was widespread frustration with Democratic leadership. Concerns focused on crime, immigration, sex work, poor public services, and the rising cost of living.
The pandemic’s severe impact on the area affected residents’ trust in government and social institutions. As Democratic state assemblywoman Catalina Cruz remarked:
“The former governor, Andrew Cuomo, never stepped foot in Corona, even during the pandemic.”
The feeling of neglect during a critical time deepened the disillusionment toward the party among many voters.
Author’s Summary
Zohran Mamdani’s rise reflects a shift in local politics amid Democratic struggles to maintain traditional working-class urban voters, challenged by deep community frustrations and political realignment.