New York Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani has stoked a debate in the wider Democratic Party with his surprise primary victory.

Do Democrats need to follow more of his lessons to get back on track with their brand? Or does the democratic socialist’s brand of politics fit a left-leaning New York primary, but not the rest of the county?

The answer is probably somewhere in between, but a number of Democrats interviewed by The Hill said there are clear lessons the party can learn from the upstart’s victory.

Affordability

Mamdani mounted his campaign on a message of affordability, coining soundbites such as “freeze the rent,” “city-run grocery stores” and “make buses fast and free” as cornerstones of his campaign.

Political observers say the unequivocal cost of living promises resonated with an electorate seeking change.

“He answers the questions very directly and very specifically. … He's like, ‘I want to freeze rents, I want to create free buses, I want to raise the minimum wage to $30 an hour,’” said Grant Reeher, the director of Syracuse University’s Campbell Public Affairs Institute.

Democrats say the national party’s messaging on economic issues in 2024 was weak, as Americans blamed then-President Biden for inflation.

Mamdani’s victory shows the importance for candidates to be seen as being the side working to make things more affordable for average voters.

Authenticity

One of Mamdani’s biggest assets, some Democrats say, is his authenticity.

The political neophyte went from relative obscurity to becoming a boldface name by keeping it real throughout his campaign.........

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