Mamdani's Albany Roots May Yet Yield City Payoff
Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic socialist from Queens who won a seat in the state Assembly at 29, has spent five years honing his legislative chops on Capitol Hill. His time in Albany was marked by fierce advocacy for causes favored by the left, but also some relatively thin legislation to show for it.
Now, as he gears up to become New York City's mayor, Mamdani will have to navigate a different kind of landscape - one where billions of dollars are at stake and deals need to be made with Albany insiders. His campaign pledge to provide universal child care and eliminate the fare for city buses has sparked debate within his own party about how to get it done.
Mamdani's opponents argue that his lack of executive experience makes him unqualified to deliver on his agenda, while supporters claim he'll find ways to build consensus in Albany - a crucial distinction.
The state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and the Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins have all endorsed Mamdani's mayoral campaign, but Governor Kathy Hochul has shown no signs of caving to his demands for corporate tax hikes or wealth taxes.
One sign that Mamdani might be able to build some traction in Albany is a quiet confidence from an early hire - Dean Fuleihan, the first deputy mayor. In an interview on WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show, Fuleihan suggested that Mamdani's path to fulfilling his pledge of universal child care is easier than predecessor Mayor Bill de Blasio's when he took office in 2014.
Mamdani and Hochul met for nearly an hour last week to discuss child care plans, and the governor has previously signaled her support for the cause. But some of Mamdani's left-leaning supporters are pushing back against Hochul's position - using public pressure to try and get the Governor on board with their agenda.
A lesson from Hochul? "I'm the type of person where the more you push me, the less I'm going to do what you want," she warned at a post-election conference in Puerto Rico. It remains to be seen how much Mamdani can bend to her will without alienating his own base.
Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic socialist from Queens who won a seat in the state Assembly at 29, has spent five years honing his legislative chops on Capitol Hill. His time in Albany was marked by fierce advocacy for causes favored by the left, but also some relatively thin legislation to show for it.
Now, as he gears up to become New York City's mayor, Mamdani will have to navigate a different kind of landscape - one where billions of dollars are at stake and deals need to be made with Albany insiders. His campaign pledge to provide universal child care and eliminate the fare for city buses has sparked debate within his own party about how to get it done.
Mamdani's opponents argue that his lack of executive experience makes him unqualified to deliver on his agenda, while supporters claim he'll find ways to build consensus in Albany - a crucial distinction.
The state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and the Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins have all endorsed Mamdani's mayoral campaign, but Governor Kathy Hochul has shown no signs of caving to his demands for corporate tax hikes or wealth taxes.
One sign that Mamdani might be able to build some traction in Albany is a quiet confidence from an early hire - Dean Fuleihan, the first deputy mayor. In an interview on WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show, Fuleihan suggested that Mamdani's path to fulfilling his pledge of universal child care is easier than predecessor Mayor Bill de Blasio's when he took office in 2014.
Mamdani and Hochul met for nearly an hour last week to discuss child care plans, and the governor has previously signaled her support for the cause. But some of Mamdani's left-leaning supporters are pushing back against Hochul's position - using public pressure to try and get the Governor on board with their agenda.
A lesson from Hochul? "I'm the type of person where the more you push me, the less I'm going to do what you want," she warned at a post-election conference in Puerto Rico. It remains to be seen how much Mamdani can bend to her will without alienating his own base.
, but he's got this! His time in Albany was a great opportunity for him to build relationships and understand the inner workings of the state government 
. I'm curious to see how he'll navigate the complex web of interests in NYC, especially when it comes to funding child care 
. His opponents might be right that his lack of executive experience is a concern, but I think he's got some savvy advisors like Dean Fuleihan who can help him build consensus 
. The real question is how much he'll have to compromise on his agenda and whether the governor will come around 
. One thing's for sure, it'll be interesting to see how this all plays out in 2025! 
. but at the same time, i gotta say i'm kinda intrigued by how he's gonna navigate the whole corporate tax hike thing - it's like, he's got this fire in his belly to tackle income inequality, but governor hochul is just straight up being cautious, you know? 
and it's interesting that dean fuleihan is trying to smooth things over for mamdani by saying he can build consensus... meanwhile, high-ranking albaney officials are keeping mum about whether they'll actually support the child care plan 
. all in all, this whole thing feels super delicate - like a game of chess where one wrong move could mean disaster 
I guess we'll just have to wait and see how it all plays out! 
mamdani wants to make it free for all 5 yrs old, but some ppl are saying that's just not feasible... or so they say 
maybe mamdani needs to find a way to balance his own agenda with hers... or just make sure he's got some good advisors on deck 
he seems like a decent guy, but navigating city & state budgets is super complex 
. like, 5 years in albany ain't enough time to build those connections and get stuff done 
. and now he's gotta go into city politics? it's a whole different beast 
. i'm not saying he can't do it, but his opponents got some valid points 
? and governor hochul's being super chill about it 
. guess we'll just have to wait and see if mamdani can pull off this whole mayoral thing 
So Mamdani's gonna be mayor now, that's nice I guess 
. He's got some big promises like free child care and buses for everyone, but we'll see how long that lasts 
. And now Governor Hochul's all about playing hardball, no free passes for anyone 
Will Mamdani be able to find that sweet spot where his agenda aligns with the interests of all parties involved? Only time will tell, but it'll be fascinating to watch how he navigates this landscape! 
he's got some big shoes to fill but i think his passion and energy are going to bring about real change in NYC. those universal child care plans sound like a total game changer for families and kids everywhere. 
and yeah it's gonna be interesting to see how mamdani navigates albaney politics - i'm keeping an eye on dean fuleihan, he seems like a solid hire! 
still, i got faith in Mamdani, he's all about buildin' that consensus & gettin' sh*t done 
so i think mamdani's got this thing figured out, you know? like, he spent 5 yrs on capitol hill learnin' the ropes and now its time for him to take on albany. his opponents are just worried cuz they dont wanna see a young dude come in and shake things up, but honestly, i think hes got some legit connections already - dean fuleihan's like his wingman and all those endorsements from speakers & senate leaders say somethin'. plus, governor hochul seems cool with the child care thing... just gotta keep it real with her, you feel? cant let her get too comfortable 
. anyone who thinks hes unqualified is just sleepin' on this kid's hustle
. But at the same time, Fuleihan seems to think he can get some stuff done in Albany without too much drama