The Mamdani moment and what his victory means for both parties

Tuesday, Nov. 4, was a huge night for Democrats! Zohran Mamdani, Abigail Spanberger, and Mikie Sherrill all claimed victory in their respective races. At the College Democrats’ watch party, one student exclaimed, “This is the worst night for Republicans since 2020!” But was it? Perhaps not. In fact, this might turn out to be one of the best nights for Republicans and most consequential nights for both parties since Donald Trump’s reelection last November. 

Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s newly elected mayor, isn’t just another Democrat. He’s a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, and a figure whose rise reflects how far left the party’s activist base has drifted. His agenda, rent cancellation, public ownership of utilities, and citywide wealth redistribution reads like a Middlebury student’s dream platform. And that’s exactly the point. The kind of voters who propelled him to victory look a lot like the kind of students sitting in our classrooms: young, idealistic, and progressive. Mamdani himself was a Bowdoin student only about a decade ago. That’s why his victory is important to dissect. His supporters are overwhelmingly young, college-educated progressives — the same demographic that dominates elite college campuses like ours. To many at Middlebury, his message of “economic justice” and “tax the rich” feels inspiring and morally right. But that’s also the danger. The college political climate is so ideologically homogeneous that it gives many students a distorted sense of how most Americans actually think. When you live in a community that echoes that socialism and Mamdani are “common sense,” it’s easy to forget that the rest of the country doesn’t necessarily see it that way.

Mamdani’s playbook mirrors that of socialist leaders across time and around the world. Promises of equality in these cases often led to economic collapse, corruption, and repression. Rent cancellation and control have repeatedly failed. In post-war Eastern Europe, such policies drove away private investment and created severe housing shortages. Public ownership of major utilities produced chronically underpowered energy and water systems in the Soviet Union and blacked-out nationalized grids in Cuba. High taxes on the wealthy have similarly undermined growth. France’s 75% “super tax” in 2012 and the UK’s tax rates under James Callaghan, exceeding 85%, prompted capital flight, reduced productivity, and shrank government revenue. Ambitious social programs like Venezuela’s “Bolivarian Missions” often began with idealistic goals, such as universal transportation or childcare, but ended in bloated bureaucracies, famine, and dependency. These governments all began with moralistic appeals to fairness and justice, yet each ultimately led to scarcity, repression, or collapse. If socialist policies have never produced sustainable prosperity elsewhere, why should New York be expected to succeed? Many believe “this time is different,” but history suggests otherwise.

So why is this important? This socialist disconnect isn’t just my opinion. Millions of Americans think similarly. The Democratic Party is increasingly being shaped by figures like Mamdani, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), and Bernie Sanders, as well as the students who idolize them. Party strategists may mistake college campus enthusiasm and social media activism for public consensus. Outside this bubble, socialism continues to poll poorly — especially among working-class, non-college voters who decide elections. The more the Democratic Party listens to elite progressives while ignoring everyday Americans who don’t share their worldview, the more vulnerable it becomes — and the more likely it is to keep losing national elections.

Ironically, Mamdani’s victory could open the clearest path for a Republican resurgence since 2016. However, the GOP shouldn’t cheer for a Democratic collapse. Instead, it should prepare to lead responsibly. Rather than attack, Republicans should educate, demonstrating that justice and equality are best achieved through opportunity, innovation, and accountability. To do so, the party must first look inward. Internal reform is essential — a post-Trump Republican Party must rediscover the decency, pragmatism, and patriotism once embodied by leaders like John McCain and Mitt Romney.

The Democratic Party must also course-correct. A return to the pragmatism of President Clinton and the optimism of President Obama would serve it far better than the ideological zeal of figures like AOC or Sanders. Leaders such as Andy Beshear, Josh Gottheimer or Seth Moulton could help realign the party with the practical, aspirational middle that defines most Americans. If Democrats instead side with Mamdani and his ideas, they may be betting on the wrong horse. History shows voters eventually tire of extremes — and when that happens, Republicans can reclaim the mantle of “common sense,” winning back moderates alienated by both progressive excess and the chaos of the Trump years. Done right, this moment could mark not just a partisan shift but a renewal of American politics grounded in unity, responsibility, and patriotism.

All that said, I genuinely wish Mr. Mamdani success. Not out of agreement with his worldview, but because I hope to see one of the world’s greatest cities thrive rather than succumb to the dysfunction and decay that has marked every failed socialist experiment before it. If he proves history wrong, I’ll applaud him. But if he doesn’t — as I suspect he won’t — let it serve as a wake-up call for the rest of America. Both the Democratic and Republican parties need to part ways with their radical extremes and find their way back toward the middle. The future of our country depends on it.

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