Many Democratic leaders and donors are panicking about Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist who won the party's nomination to be the next mayor of New York City. Why it matters: Establishment Democrats looking to recover from 2024's losses fear Mamdani could hurt the party's brand nationally — while young progressives believe his formula could spread beyond New York.

Republican leaders hope the ascent of the NYC mayoral candidate, a democratic socialist, will help them paint the Democrats as a far-left party.

Zohran Mamdani ran for mayor of New York on a campaign to freeze the rent, provide free buses and establish city-owned grocery stores. Critics scoffed at the 33-year-old democratic socialist’s pie-in-the-sky agenda. And then he trounced everyone.