MAMDANI: New York election victory shows hope is back in politics
Overnight, the Democratic socialist candidate for New York City Mayor, Zohran Kwame Mamdani, comfortably beat his corporate-backed rival, Andrew Cuomo.
Mamdani, who is 34, ran a people-powered campaign, rising from 1% in the first opinion poll of the Democrats' primary just over a year ago to winning the NYC Mayoral race with 51% of the vote in a high-turnout election.
Despite backing from Donald Trump and billionaires like Elon Musk, the right-wing independent candidate Andrew Cuomo fell flat. The message in the wind is clear: the era of the super-rich is coming to an end, it’s time to put people before profit.
With Zohran securing 51% in New York, Zack Polanski’s Green Party of England and Wales polling in second place, Catherine Connolly winning the presidency in Ireland, and record polling for the Scottish Greens, it’s clear that the global movement for hope is here to win.
Scottish Greens Co-Leader Gillian Mackay said:
“Zohran has built a people-powered movement of hope and determination, the likes of which hasn’t been seen in the US for decades.
“It was a campaign against an opponent fuelled by corporate donors, big polluters and billionaires like Elon Musk.
But Mamdani’s message to the people of New York was clear: people deserve better than the rigged system that keeps these powerful billionaires at the top of society. He offered policies and a vision to put people before profit and invest in communities, not shareholders' bank accounts.
“Scotland has a similar choice next May. Whilst other parties take donations from fossil fuel giants and arms dealers, the Scottish Greens are powered by people like you. People who believe in real change.
“We believe in a Scotland that taxes the super-rich to fund our public services like the NHS, and a Scotland where everyone can get about cheaply and easily, and where we put people and planet first.
“There is a global movement for hope in these times of political darkness. It's a kind of hope this country felt in 2014, a hope and belief that a better Scotland is possible and it’s just around the corner. Join us as we put that hope back into Scotland, our time is now.”