The NYC mayoral race is a reckoning over the Democratic Party’s future

This column originally appeared in The Politics Brief, our weekly newsletter on the people, power and policies that shape New Yorkers' lives.

Sign up to get the full version where you can ask questions, share news tips and weigh in on the conversation. Hits inboxes on Wednesdays.

The final stretch of New York City’s mayoral race has provided some of the most riveting moments of a pitched contest: Brad Lander was arrested by federal authorities trying to escort a migrant out of the courthouse, Andrew Cuomo delivered an old-school homage to unions and the working class, and Zohran Mandani brought the house down with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a barn burner of a political rally.

All of the leading mayoral candidates are selling a blueprint for the future of a Democratic Party that is adrift. The contest, in many ways, looks like a referendum on the type of candidate best equipped to lead the party out of the wilderness of President Donald Trump’s second term.

The two competing forces can be described generally as centrist Democrats in the mold of Bill Clinton (Cuomo) vs. new progressives more in the image of AOC (Mamdani).

“The true rebranding project of the Democratic Party is not going to happen on some imaginary podcast,” said Alyssa Cass, a Democratic strategist currently working on Scott Stringer’s campaign. “It can start on the streets of New York City.”

Lander, an even-tempered policy wonk, recently began escorting migrants out of immigration court in Lower Manhattan, hoping his presence would make ICE agents think twice before arresting immigrants trying to follow the rules. In an interview with Gothamist last week, he said, “I felt more useful that hour honestly than I have since Donald Trump was elected.”

On Tuesday, he got arrested at the immigration court, sparking outrage from Democrats, including Gov. Kathy Hochul and his mayoral opponents. After his release, he headed to Foley Square, where he was met by hundreds of supporters.

Over the weekend, Mamdani had a rally attended by nearly 3,000 volunteers. He and Ocasio-Cortez argued that the party needed to be led by a new generation. Ocasio-Cortez labeled Cuomo part of the “gerontocracy” dominating politics. Of course, Mamdani has since been endorsed by 83-year-old Bernie Sanders, a fellow democratic socialist who’s drawing tens of thousands to his rallies with Ocasio-Cortez.

During his speech, Mamdani said his victory would be “historic, not just because of who I am — a Muslim immigrant and a proud democratic socialist — but for what we will do to make this city affordable for everyone.”

Cuomo, meanwhile, has positioned himself as the antidote to the party’s loathed brand.

“I don’t believe Donald Trump won that election,” Cuomo said at a rally on Monday with union members. “I don’t believe anybody got up in the morning and said ‘Boy, I love that guy. I love that hairdo. I have to get out and vote for that guy.’ ... I believe what they said was, ‘I’m disappointed in the Democratic Party.’”

Part of that disappointment, Cuomo argues, is the result of Mamdani and Lander’s politics. He’s hammered them for previously supporting the “defund the police” movement and being ineffective at making government function for working people. He’s drawn a link between Lander and Mamdani’s criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza and antisemitism.

“The Democratic Party lost its soul,” he said. ​“The men and women of New York were always the base of the Democratic Party, and the Democratic Party was not talking to you and the issues that matter to you at your kitchen table.”

A new Marist poll on Wednesday showed a narrowing two-man race between Cuomo, the front-runner, and Mamdani, who continues to surge.

Early voting is underway. New Yorkers will cast their votes for what vision they prefer on Tuesday, but ranked-choice tabulations mean there’s a good chance we won’t know the result until July 1.

Listen

We want to hear from you

Which candidate do you think can best lead the way for Democrats to rebuild their party?

We'll share responses in next week's newsletter. (Sign up!)

Talk to us: Ask a question or submit a tip

Ask a question. If you're confused about something in New York politics, you probably aren't alone. Submit a question here. We may answer it in a future newsletter and/or on air.

Submit a news tip. Is there something we should know? You can use this form to share a news tip. You can also email our editor, Stephen Rex Brown: [email protected].

This week in New York politics

Zohran Mamdani’s campaign paid nearly $8,000 this month to Advance Security & Investigations, Inc. Here’s why.

New York state lawmakers passed reforms Monday that will force property owners to pay for new natural gas hookups to their buildings. Here’s why it’s a big deal.

Mayor Eric Adams wants to remove protective barriers for cyclists on a highly contested stretch of Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn. But a judge just blocked him from doing so. Here’s why.

Mayor Adams is calling for a statewide ban on face coverings at protests. Here’s his argument.

Over the weekend, Mayor Adams hosted a livestream with Sneako, a right-wing internet personality known for sharing controversial and antisemitic opinions. Here’s what they spoke about.

The NYC Democratic mayoral candidates are all vying for the Southeast Queens vote. Here’s why it’s so important.

Federal lawmakers want to stop New York from imposing new safety requirements for the world’s most advanced artificial intelligence models. Here’s why.

The United Federation of Teachers will not be endorsing an NYC mayoral candidate because teachers are split between two candidates. Here’s who.

NYCHA has more than 8,000 empty apartments. The City Council wants to know why.