Apple News In Conversation How Zohran Mamdani is already changing politics
Oct 23, 2025
Eric Lach, a staff writer at The New Yorker, profiles Zohran Mamdani, a rising star in New York City's mayoral race. The discussion delves into Mamdani's ambitious campaign promises like a rent freeze and universal childcare. Lach explores how Mamdani's unique upbringing in Uganda and South Africa shaped his political outlook and savvy social media strategies. They also tackle the feasibility of his proposals and the implications of his campaign on national politics, highlighting his strong stance on Palestinian rights as a pivotal aspect of his victory.
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Ambitious Promises Meet Massive Bureaucracy
- Zohran Mamdani frames sweeping redistributionist policies as practical demands for a dignified life in a wealthy city.
- Eric Lach highlights the complexity of running a $116 billion city with 300,000 public workers that any mayor must manage.
Formative Global Childhood
- Mamdani's upbringing in Uganda and South Africa, and parents' intellectual/artistic careers, shaped his political worldview.
- After his surprising primary win, he invoked Mandela and Sanders to frame possibility and progressive ambition.
Message Discipline Plus Personal Narrative
- Mamdani uses a dual messaging strategy: relentless policy repetition plus weaving a personal immigrant narrative.
- Lach calls this the "Bernie pivot" mixed with autobiographical appeals about learning New York as a child.