Jacobin Radio Jacobin Radio: Mamdani’s Win w/ Alex Press and Luke Savage
Nov 12, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Alex Press, a labor organizing expert, and Luke Savage, a political analyst, dive into Zohran Mamdani's groundbreaking New York City mayoral campaign. Press shares on-the-ground experiences with late-night workers, highlighting Mamdani's connections with taxi drivers and healthcare staff. Savage critiques the elite backlash against Mamdani's socialist agenda, which includes affordable transit and wages. They explore how this unexpected campaign feared by the establishment could spark similar movements nationwide.
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Hunger Strike Launched His Politics
- Zoran Mamdani began public politics by hunger striking with taxi drivers over medallion debt, building deep ties in Queens.
- Alex Press followed him on a midnight canvass where longtime taxi supporters like Richard Chow remained central to the campaign.
Midnight Canvass In Queens
- The night-shift tour visited LaGuardia taxi queues and ended with a midnight kebab in Jackson Heights.
- Taxi drivers who campaigned and hunger-struck with Mamdani stayed deeply involved and appeared at his victory speech.
Night Workers As Winning Coalition
- Mamdani targeted night workers because they are a large, under-appreciated voting bloc central to city life.
- He expanded beyond progressive white neighborhoods to a multiracial working-class coalition that could win a mayoralty.
