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How Will the Mamdani Victory Impact Democratic Politics? How Will “Mayor Mandani” Impact Education in NYC?

Inside the Democratic Party across the nation a passionate and at times vitriolic debate may be ripping apart or strengthening the party. Should the party continue to be led by the older and firmly entrenched democratic leadership, or, is it time to  pass the scepter and orb on to the next generation?  

David Hogg, a 25-year-old leader of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) was pushed aside for advocating challenging incumbent democratic electeds in primaries, does the Mamdani victory support his views?

A few weeks ago, the polls were narrowing, Cuomo leading, his lead diminishing, The experts: Cuomo needs a 10-point lead after Round 1, miraculously Mamdani led by 9 points.  Mamdani claimed victory and Cuomo conceded, whether Cuomo will continue campaigning on an independent line is to be decided; the November general election will include the million Republican and non party affiliated voters.

Jarod Bernstein, an economist in the Obama and Biden on Mandami and his agenda,

—The affordability agenda: Mamdani’s platform seems highly extrapolatable. I don’t care whether you’re grabbing a slice on Broadway, fracking in North Dakota, waiting tables in LA. Your biggest economic challenge is the lack of affordable housing, child care, health care, and everything else on his list.

–If this is age-ist, I apologize, but as a 69-year-old, I’m gonna let myself go there. If you’re an old D with no new ideas on affordability, who’s just continuing to hold office because you’re well-established and have the funding to keep winning your seat, please do our nation a favor and show yourself out. I’m not saying you don’t have something to offer—perhaps you do. I’m saying the country faces an existential challenge and that just being not-Trump isn’t enough to get elected and block these horribly destructive forces.

A leader in the Mandani campaign suggests the same pathway for the Democratic Party    across the nation. 

The next mayor will be sworn on January 1, 2026, Adams and City Council Speaker Adams are lame duck leaders for six months possibly during a fiscal crisis, the impact of the “Big VERY Bad Bill.”

UFT President Mulgrew was a winner, staying on the sidelines.

Will Trump try to deport Mamdani, a naturalized citizen back to his birthplace, Uganda? Absurd?  Maybe, or, not.

The mayor appoints about 300 folks, commissioners, deputy commissioners, etc, to run the city. Would Jessica Tisch remain as police commissioner? Who would be the next school chancellor? Jamal Bowman? Would Mamdani try and eliminate the specialized high school entrance exams? Does Mandani continue to oppose mayoral control? Mandani told Chalkbeat, 

The 33-year-old democratic socialist told Chalkbeat he is “opposed to mayoral control in its current iteration” and would advocate for a system that would lean on partnerships to govern the system of roughly 911,000 students and 1,600 schools.

A return to the Affinity District Network structure? 

A myriad of uncertainties…

This is day 1 of the Mandani era: will his victory resonate across the nation? Or  blip on the political screen?  

Is there an ambitious thirty something preparing to run against Hochul in the state democratic gubernatorial primary a year down the road?

Many more questions than answers, keep asking and I’ll keep exploring. Meanwhile, enjoy the summer, read a few books, get into an exercise regimen, abjure sugar and carbs, come back in September svelte and ready to climb the educational mountain.