Zohran Mamdani’s surprise victory in New York’s Democratic mayoral primary has sparked debate within the party about whether his progressive, grassroots approach could work nationally.

His campaign emphasized affordability, authenticity, youth-driven energy and a strong ground game, along with savvy use of social media—a combination that resonated with voters seeking bold, relatable leadership. Democrats see lessons in Mamdani’s ability to offer a proactive vision, connect with everyday people and energize the base beyond just opposition to Trump.

“His intense ground game—you can’t underestimate the power of that,” Grant Reeher, professor of political science, tells The Hill. “Even from political science research, we know that the most effective way to get people to turn out is face-to-face contact. He’s doing a lot of that. …He’s got tons of volunteers.”

“You can’t short-shrift the ground game, the retail politics,” Reeher adds.

In another article from The Hill, Reeher weighs in on Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams, both Democrats, running for mayor as independents. 

“You can’t have multiple alternatives,” says Reeher. “I just don’t see any way that Mamdani doesn’t win unless one of these folks drops out.”

“If I was a Democratic strategist for the whole party in New York City, and I commanded authority, I would put Adams and Cuomo in a room, and I would say, ‘You guys are going to flip a coin,’” he adds.