You don’t have to be a New Yorker to find inspiration in Mamdani’s win — it gives hope that there is a path out of the wilderness for Democrats that does not depend on sucking up to tyrants or techno-fascists. That path is through new leadership, dynamic communication tuned to the modern era, and a working class agenda that inspires.

While Schumer and other Democratic leaders sat on the sidelines — shockingly, even after the primary — Mayor-elect Mamdani proved that fighting for working families, not billionaire donors, motivates voters and wins elections. Across the country, ambitious plans are driving high turnout and big wins. Democrats are finally seeing their approval ratings rise when they stand united against Republican budgets that would let catastrophic healthcare price hikes hit more than 22 million Americans.