this post was submitted on 05 Nov 2025
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Explain Like I'm 5 (ELI5)
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I think the point is that it's potentially trendsetting - if someone to the left of the Democrat establishment can win a hotly contested election against both the Republican candidate and the establishment Democrat candidate, with a tax-the-billionaires agenda in one of the economic centers of the US, maybe there's still hope for the US at large. It shows that you can win elections with this kind of candidate and agenda, and despite fighting against both the Republicans and the Democrats.
To add on to this, it puts a seriously progressive candidate in a position to actually implement some of the changes progressive folks have been championing, which has basically never happened before. If things work out well, it will serve as a real-life demonstration of the merits of leftist policy, which will hopefully force moderates/centrists to maybe confront some of their deeply held assumptions and start pulling in the right direction.
Results are a HUGE thing the opposition is scared of. They're making sounds like Mamdani's plans are bound to fail. They sound like bullies when you stand up, "I'm not afraid of you!" Well, if you weren't scared of me, you wouldn't have to announce the fact.
If they weren't afraid of positive results they'd be laughing, "Fuck him. Let him burn NYC to the ground and everyone will see how these policies work out."
If you can make it progressive there, you can make it progressive anywhere.