Left Turn in New York Tests Democrats’ Call for Moderation

New York City voters sent a clear message on June 24. They chose 33-year-old Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic mayoral primary. Though the ranked-choice voting system in the city will not officially process results until at least July 1, Cuomo conceded shortly after the initial round of ranked-choice tallies showed Mamdani ahead. Cuomo, speaking to supporters, called the outcome “Assemblyman Mamdani’s night” and praised a “highly impactful campaign.” Cuomo sought a comeback despite his 2021 resignation from the governorship, while incumbent Mayor Eric Adams skipped the primary after leaving the Democratic Party to mount an independent bid. Progressive groups backed Mamdani, who ran on rent freezes, fare-free buses, and higher taxes on high earners....