In the late hours of Election Day, New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani addressed a crowd of his supporters, smiling ear to ear. Mamdani’s campaign was filled with energy and enthusiasm, which played a significant role in achieving a record voter turnout in the past few decades, with over two million people casting their ballots.
This campaign was particularly popular among young voters, with Mamdani himself spending considerable time creating catchy social media posts to capture their attention. Mamdani’s efforts clearly paid off, as around 75 percent of voters under 30 cast their ballot for him. However, the significance doesn’t stop there: approximately four in 10 New York voters under 30 identify as a democratic socialist, the ideological umbrella under which Mamdani falls. What was previously considered as a radical and unpopular ideology is gaining traction among young people, a trend that politicians must take note of when crafting their campaigns.
But why are these ideas increasingly popular among many young people? What does this victory signal to both Democrats and Republicans?
The key focus of Mamdani’s campaign was affordability, which is particularly relevant in one of the world’s most expensive cities. This grievance speaks to the hearts of young people who have grown up in an unaffordable United States. The American Dream of owning a home and starting a family seems increasingly impossible, and the worry of debt is constantly looming. This is why so many young people were drawn to Mamdani’s campaign — it promised a future beyond the status quo, a change in an ineffective system.
More broadly, his victory is a signal to the Democratic Party to pay attention to young people and their progressive ideals. Election cycle after election cycle, Democrats push out mainstream establishment candidates with nothing new to offer, encapsulated by the last three Democratic presidential candidates. It’s not that young Democrats do not vote for them, but it’s a decision they often feel is necessary to prevent a Republican victory.
In 2020, the “Settle for Biden” movement was spearheaded by young people, seeking to convince dissatisfied Democrats to settle for the “lesser of two evils.” Former Democratic National Convention Vice Chair David Hogg leads a group called “Leaders We Deserve”, which aims to boost young candidates who often face Democratic incumbents. For young people, establishment politicians are not the future; in 2016, progressive candidate Bernie Sanders got more votes from young people than Hillary Clinton and President Donald Trump in the primaries combined.
Numbers like these can no longer be ignored by the Democratic Party. With an increasing number of young people becoming eligible to vote, they must move past their aversion to progressive candidates. Progressives and their policies resonate with young Democrats, and putting forward the same moderate candidates puts the party at risk of losing future voters and elections.
But this victory isn’t just a message for Democrats — Republicans also have much to learn. Young Republicans may not be supporters of Mamdani’s ideas, but the political frustration that got him his victory transcends party lines. They have also grown up in a deeply broken society where their future is questionable. Although they may have different ideas on how to fix this issue than Democrats, there exists a common struggle against the status quo.
The Trump administration capitalized on this frustration in the 2024 election, with young voters actually shifting toward the right. Trump’s campaign focused heavily on the country’s economic conditions, placing the blame on the Biden administration and claiming he would address the issue. Despite his bold claims that he would make the United States more affordable, prices have gone up under his administration. This betrayal has hit hardest for young Republicans, with Trump’s approval rating among his voters decreasing most drastically for those between 18 and 34 years old.
If Republicans want to gain the support of young people, their platform must be updated. Young Republicans are less inclined to support foreign military aid and tend to focus more on domestic priorities than their older counterparts. When the supposed party of small government and putting the United States first spends billions on foreign military aid, but shows little care for social programs at home, many are left confused. This sentiment must not go unnoticed by Republicans if they want to secure the youth vote in the future.
We, as young people, are the future. No matter our political affiliations, we have all grown up in a society that is unaffordable and bleak, with politicians who too often lie and make empty promises. We are given mediocre candidates who run on dull and uninspiring platforms.
The “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” rhetoric that worked with older generations doesn’t work with us. The income housing gap has only widened, and the median household income is less than the amount needed to purchase a median-priced home. You can work as hard as you want, but often it is simply not enough to make your dreams of owning your own home or paying off college debt a reality. The job market itself is slow, and unemployment is rising.
The status quo we have is clearly not working, and it’s time for something better. Mamdani’s victory is a beacon of hope in our bleak political reality. It shows that deviation from the status quo is possible, that we can expect more from our politicians, but we have a lot of responsibility.
We must continue to put pressure on our politicians to deliver a better future, to listen to our concerns and to take action toward our dreams. There is no one way to do this, but an obvious route is through the power of voting. Don’t be afraid to support an outsider candidate, because what we’ve seen from New York City’s mayoral race is that victory is possible even for the underdogs.
Protest is the most universal expression of political frustration and is not something to be feared, as it can increase pressure and hold those in power accountable. We must continue using our voices, whether it’s on the streets or on social media — keeping our demands clear and staying firm in the face of doubt.
Mamdani’s win is more than just a win for progressives; it is a win for the youth. Even the young people who don’t support Mamdani can see his victory as an opportunity for something better — that politicians can be held to a higher standard. No longer do we have to settle for mediocrity. Instead, we can strive for excellence.
We deserve a future with more accountable politicians and policies that address our concerns. If we remain hopeful and continue to press forward, we can bring about a turning point in American history, making the American Dream attainable once again. We can be the change we want to see, but we cannot stay complacent with the status quo.
Kayla Cloherty is a freshman majoring in history.
Views expressed in the opinions pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece that represents the view of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the staff editorial.