Zohran Mamdani could prove that a genuine leftist can run a major city well. But he’ll need a far broader governing coalition than the political coalition that won him the primary.
Most Democrats voted against Mamdani. Major reforms and basic governance will require support from new voters and politicians in and outside the city — partly because much of his agenda requires state action. He’ll need more Black and Jewish New Yorkers, and at minimum, avoid a break with the NYPD, as happened to Bill de Blasio.
Let’s start with police — who could end his project if they stop doing their jobs. Mamdani says he won’t defund the police, but chooses to maintain posts calling the department he hopes to lead “wicked and corrupt” and “a major threat to public safety.” His safety plan omits the word “arrest,” and calls for “better use of existing funding” to support a billion-dollar Department of Community Safety. That could mean shifting funds from police.
I was chief of staff to Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin during 2020’s police protests. We sometimes disagreed with the police, but we took accountability seriously, supported and respected them — and defeated an attempt to defund them 25% — because our constituents needed them.
So what can Mamdani do? He should emulate Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. She once called to “slash” police funding, but she earned the police union’s endorsement in her reelection — their first in decades. She agreed to a generous contract in exchange for targeted reforms, like shifting certain traffic duties to civilians, which Mamdani supports.
In New York, the largest police union’s contract expires this year. Mamdani should publicly and privately pursue a strong contract. He should also apologize for some prior remarks.
One of his best ideas would address public concerns about safety, and skepticism from some Jewish New Yorkers: building an ultra-competent team without an ideology test. He complimented Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, and should appoint someone of her apparent caliber — and quickly lay out a slate of other respected leaders.
Before addressing why some Jewish New Yorkers are concerned about Mamdani, it’s important to recognize that he has many strong Jewish supporters, and the Jewish community is not a monolith on any issue.
But he has elided the fact that, in his own words, anti-Israel activism motivated his entry into politics. He has explained in detail the strategic value of derailing simple things like a resolution in the Assembly honoring Israeli independence. And as one of the most precise communicators in politics, choosing not to name Hamas in his statement after Oct. 7 remains a legitimate source of anger.
He now says the mayoralty isn’t about foreign policy. On election night, he promised to listen to those concerned about his views. But he should go further.
He should convene a council of Jewish Americans across the political spectrum — not to debate Israel, but to make New York the safest city in the world for Jews. He should lead that council personally and implement its recommendations.
Some leftists dismiss the need to engage with Jewish New Yorkers who oppose him. That’s a mistake, because the governing coalition he seeks is broader than the political coalition he has won. The Legislature that controls the revenue he wants is full of suburban Democrats whose views on Israel (and crime) differ dramatically from his. Some Democrats are already citing his views to disqualify him.
I also hope Mamdani recognizes Andrew Cuomo won strong support from Black New Yorkers without running much of a campaign. To reach them, Mamdani should double down on his strengths — while courting the establishment he defeated.
Many of them are older and more moderate. They’re skeptical of sweeping promises — the lifeblood of Mamdani’s campaign. He should level with them. How will he make life more affordable if his tax increase fails? He should channel his relentless energy toward persuading them, and he might even adopt their ideas.
He should also seek support from Black leaders — not assume it will come because he’s the nominee. If business leaders coalesce around Mayor Adams (or Cuomo) with tens of millions of dollars, he could stage a comeback. But not if Mamdani moves quickly to court Black support.
I was thrilled to see Cuomo lose and concerned to see Mamdani win. But I respect his talent, and I want him to succeed for all New Yorkers.
He has proven a shrewd tactician, retreating on some issues and ruthlessly emphasizing others. To deliver for the city, he may need to heed the advice of another talented New Yorker: As Mario Cuomo said, “You campaign in poetry. You govern in prose.”
Srivastava is a senior director at Evergreen Strategy Group and former senior municipal official.
