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There is never a dull moment in politics anywhere in the world. The election season for 2026 and 2028 in America began in earnest on November 4, when in an off-year election in many states, Democrats finally had something to smile about. The stunning mayoral victory in New York by Zohran Mamdani aside, the party also appears to have hit the mark by taking over the Governor’s mansions in Virginia and New Jersey and retaining Democratic control over the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
Suddenly, Democrats appear energized, even as seasoned observers urge patience and caution against overreacting to what happened in New York City. The same voices are perhaps reminding Mayor-elect Mamdani about the complexities of governing a diverse city, which is quite different from chanting pro-Palestine slogans and anti-Netanyahu rants.
Adding to the intrigue is the suspense over how Washington might complicate Mamdani’s job. “For a thousand years, Communism has not worked… I tend to doubt it’s going to work this time,” President Donald Trump said in an interview, noting that Mamdani’s victory speech was a very “angry” one. “… he’s off to a bad start.” There is also a vague threat that a governor could use a rare clause to remove a city mayor, especially if an ally of President Trump, Elise Stefanik, enters the race and wins.
The 34-year-old Mayor-elect is likely under no illusions about what he can accomplish when his term begins on January 1, 2026. He has broken through every odd to get where he is, especially within a party that has been searching for its soul since its drubbing in November 2024. There is a growing realization that the time has come to move past Joe Biden and whether he should have run for a second term, and also beyond the question of whether Kamala Harris would have done better if she had more than 107 days to prepare. Ultimately, these questions are unlikely to matter for the midterms in November 2026 and the presidential race in 2028.
The problem for the Democratic Party goes beyond Mamdani and Democratic Socialism. It is one of finding middle ground between the right, left, and center. In the current context, President Trump and the GOP will continue with the “Communist, Lunatics” label as a scare tactic heading into 2026. Small murmurs have already begun that Democrats only want to win back the House of Representatives and hold the Senate to restart impeachment proceedings. Democrats are almost certain to pursue this if they take control of the House, but any indication beforehand of settling scores will play directly into Republican hands.
If Mamdani’s win in New York showed anything, it was his ability to build a broad coalition of white, Black, Hispanic, and ethnic minority voters. That reflects the challenge before Democrats nationally: they must urgently bring back those who left the party in 2024 and earlier. This requires focusing on the specific needs of each voter segment rather than relying on lofty rhetoric. For instance, in the 2024 presidential election there was a sense that the Harris campaign focused too much on Nazism and Fascism instead of bread-and-butter issues. Similarly, in a cycle where candidates play fast and loose with facts, an endless emphasis on “fact checking” and “fact checkers” is unlikely to gain traction.
Democrats also know that Mamdani’s success is unique to New York and cannot be replicated nationwide. Barely two days after the off-year results, President Trump took to social media to endorse Vivek Ramaswamy, who is seeking public office. The 39-year-old previously ran in the Republican presidential primary, finishing fourth in the Iowa caucus, then endorsed Trump and briefly served at the Department of Governmental Efficiency alongside Elon Musk at the start of the administration.
“He will be a great Governor of Ohio, will never let you down, and has my complete and total endorsement,” the President said. The wealthy biotech entrepreneur, who once angered the right-wing base by saying American culture has “venerated mediocrity over excellence,” has now energized the MAGA movement, which is hardly thrilled at the prospect of Ohio electing its first non-white governor since 1803.
Democrats have an uphill battle in Ohio, even if some outlier polls show Democrat Amy Acton tied or slightly ahead of Ramaswamy. For Democrats to prevail in Ohio, Republicans would need to falter nationally between now and November 2026. Ohio is no doubt a prize, but everyone knows Cincinnati is not New York.
Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed in this article/column are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of South Asian Herald.
