On Saturday, he visited his alma mater, Brooklyn College, for a town hall event alongside New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.
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Seated next to the seasoned progressive politician, Mamdani, as the clear frontrunner in the city’s mayoral race, drew a large crowd, including those who view his candidacy as a way to invigorate progressive movement and provoke the right-wing backlash, including from President Donald Trump.
Mamdani’s opening remarks to a packed audience emphasized the power of ordinary people in politics.
This event, part of Sanders’s tour reaching over 21 states and 300,000 attendees, highlights the growing national attention on New York’s mayoral race and the rising tensions with the White House aimed at Mamdani.
On Friday, Trump inaccurately labeled Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, as “a communist.”
Mamdani has faced criticism from moderate Democrats and Republicans due to his policy stance, particularly on economic issues, which Al Jazeera’s analysis rated as unrealistic and extreme.
However, the message on growing income inequality and wealth concentration resonated strongly with attendees.
Sanders focused on national matters, critically addressing billionaire media owners such as David Ellison of Paramount/CBS News for not adequately scrutinizing the White House under current ownership.
The network recently settled a lawsuit claiming an interview with then-candidate Kamala Harris had been altered and announced it would stop editing Sunday political show interviews following complaints from the Trump administration.
Sanders also criticized Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, over the $1 trillion compensation package approved for Musk, the world’s richest man.
Mamdani singled out large businesses such as the delivery service DoorDash, which spent $1 million opposing his campaign, emphasizing that New York City is not for sale.
Mamdani, addressing concerns of the wider business community, met with New York business leaders to discuss his policies, which received a positive response from The Partnership for New York City.
Criticisms and challenges, however, remain beyond the business community, focusing on issues crucial to working- and middle-class voters, which drive Mamdani’s campaign.
Childcare costs, possibly reaching 25% of household income in New York, were a concern raised at the town hall, with one mother in attendance spending $36,000 annually on childcare.
Mamdani has proposed providing free childcare for children aged six weeks to five years.
Trump’s Intervention in the Race
Mamdani’s campaign faces challenges amidst concerns of Trump administration interference in the New York mayoral race, giving support to fourth-place incumbent Eric Adams, who’s being considered for a role in the Trump administration, possibly as ambassador to Saudi Arabia, according to the New York Times.
Adams and other candidates have resisted Trump’s attempts to influence the race, with Andrew Cuomo, the former governor and Mamdani’s competitor, advocating for a candidate’s choice without Trump’s interference.
While Mamdani leads in polls, he hasn’t reached the 50% mark, with concerns over what might happen if Adams or Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa drop out.
A National Shift for Progressives
New York’s mayoral race draws significant attention as the largest U.S. city and a global epicenter for finance and media. It’s not the only place where progressives are gaining traction. Across the U.S., left-leaning candidates challenge for mayoral seats in both large and small cities, focusing on income inequality, housing costs, and labor protections.
Sanders argued that Mamdani’s success and the White House’s reaction signify momentum in the progressive movement nationwide. Similar progressive mayoral campaigns are underway in Minneapolis, Albuquerque, and Seattle, emphasizing affordable housing and labor rights.
However, the movement encounters obstacles, including federal interference. In Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson clashes with Trump, who demands federal intervention against crime, despite declining rates.
In New York, Mamdani advocates for preparedness should Trump attempt to deploy the National Guard, emphasizing coordination with state officials and citing a successful challenge in Los Angeles against an operation considered by a court as illegal.
Faced with increasing threats, progressive candidates like Mamdani are not only fighting for policy change but also for the right to steer their cities without unwarranted federal interference.
