Inside the decade-long organizing effort that made Mamdani’s mayoralty possible
A Decade of Building Power
Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral victory didn’t happen overnight. It represents the culmination of nearly ten years of strategic organizing by New York City’s Democratic Socialists of America chapter, which has built what many consider the strongest municipal electoral operation in the nation.
Since 2015, NYC-DSA has grown from a small activist group to an 11,300-member organization that has elected nine state legislators and multiple city council members–all committed to working-class politics and economic justice.
From Bernie to Borough Hall: The Organizing Evolution
The modern DSA movement gained momentum during Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign. According to Democratic Socialists of America, the organization saw membership surge from 6,000 to over 85,000 nationally during this period, with NYC becoming its largest and most active chapter.
The chapter’s first major victories came in 2017-2018. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s stunning congressional primary victory over Joe Crowley showcased the power of field organizing. Julia Salazar’s successful state senate campaign, managed by veteran organizer Tascha Van Auken–who later directed Mamdani’s field operation–demonstrated that the model could be replicated.
The Field-First Strategy
NYC-DSA developed a unique campaign philosophy centered on mass volunteer canvassing. This wasn’t just about winning votes; it was about building a movement. Campaign manager Van Auken, who has led multiple successful races, emphasized that canvassing brings “ordinary people directly into the campaign as participants and co-organizers rather than observers and fans.”
For Mamdani’s campaign, this approach yielded extraordinary results: 90,000 active volunteers, 3 million doors knocked, and the highest primary turnout in New York City history. Research from the FairVote organization shows that personal contact remains the most effective voter mobilization tool.
Building Multiracial Working-Class Coalitions
A key element of DSA’s success has been coalition-building with immigrant communities and labor organizations. Mamdani’s 2017 work as canvassing manager for Palestinian Christian pastor Khader El-Yateem’s city council campaign helped establish relationships between democratic socialists and Muslim immigrant communities that proved crucial years later.
Organizations like Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM), New York Communities for Change, and CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities became essential partners. According to the Migration Policy Institute, New York’s foreign-born population represents over 37 percent of residents, making immigrant engagement critical for electoral success.
The Progressive Electoral Pipeline
NYC-DSA’s strategy involved building a “bench” of candidates through local races. Before running for mayor, Mamdani served four years in the State Assembly representing Queens. Other DSA-backed officials like Council Members Alexa Avilés and Tiffany Cabán won their seats through similar grassroots mobilization.
This patient approach to power-building differs from traditional political paths. Research from the Brennan Center for Justice shows how grassroots organizing can overcome financial disadvantages in campaigns.
Facing Corporate Opposition
The movement has faced intense opposition. In Avilés’ recent primary, pro-Israel PACs and corporate interests flooded her centrist challenger’s campaign with money. NYC-DSA responded by mobilizing over 700 volunteers–unprecedented for a city council race–and won by 44 points.
A pro-Israel PAC official acknowledged the challenge: “While we have a lot of capital to invest in traditional campaigning, we have little organizational structure. While DSA organizers have spent more than a decade embedding themselves in neighborhoods, parent-teacher organizations, and tenant associations, we have not made the investments.”
Democratic Participation as Political Philosophy
For DSA, mass participation isn’t just strategy–it’s ideology. The organization views strengthening democracy as central to democratic socialism. By empowering 100,000 people to organize rather than simply vote, they’ve created what some scholars call “participatory democracy in action.”
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace has studied how civic engagement strengthens democratic institutions. NYC-DSA’s model demonstrates that organized people can compete with organized money.
National Replication Challenges and Opportunities
Political scientists caution that Mamdani’s approach may not translate directly to areas where Democrats don’t outnumber Republicans. However, DSA chapters nationwide are studying the NYC model. The organization has endorsed 18 candidates across 11 chapters in recent elections.
As Grace Mausser, NYC-DSA Co-Chair, stated after the primary victory: “This is just the beginning. The billionaires who have funded Donald Trump, Andrew Cuomo, and Eric Adams are enemies of democracy.”
With Mamdani set to become mayor, the question now shifts from winning elections to governing–and whether grassroots mobilization can translate into policy victories against entrenched interests in Albany and Washington.
Mamdami: He respects the intelligence of residents by offering clear, reasoned proposals.
Mamdani’s win suggests that NYC is tired of incrementalism and wants structural change.
Mamdami: He respects the cultural richness of New York as a policy driver.
Mamdani’s win signals a real shift in what New Yorkers want from their leadership.
His follow-through is always “coming soon.”
His governance style is confident, confused, inconsistent.
This Sherrone Moore scandal endures as exemplar.