New York City Mayor candidate Zohran Mamdani and supporters cross the Brooklyn Bridge, November 3, 2025 (Vincent Alban/New York Times)
EA-CEO Retort VideoCast: A Positive Politics Beyond “Left” and “Right”
EA-Dublin NewsTalk Podcast: Will Mamdani Shake Up New York City?
I joined Dublin NewsTalk’s Pat Kenny Show for a 16-minute analysis of today’s US elections from the Mayor’s race in New York City to the Governor’s contest in Virginia and New Jersey.
We begin with New York, where 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani — born in Uganda to Indian parents, a Muslim, and a socialist with policies to deal with the cost of living, child care, food, and transport — is favored over the “old guard” candidate, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
I note that Donald Trump’s endorsement of Cuomo may only reinforce Mamdani’s advantage. And I evaluate why the word “socialist”, used by the Trump camp as well as “communist” as a scare tactic, is so distrusted by many Americans.
As significant as New York is, the polls in Virginia and New Jersey are more important as a marker for the Democratic fightback against Trumpism.
I explain why victories for candidates Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill would show that, contrary to the doom-mongering of some pundits, the Democrats are showing strength at state level. In contrast, defeats would highlight how far there is to go in the battle against Trumpism.
We also discuss why California voters are deciding on Congressional redistricting, in response to Republicans in states like Texas “gerrymandering” in pursuit of electoral advantage.
