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Newly Elected NYC Mayor Quickly Shifts from Anti-Establishment Rhetoric to Established Political Figures
Less than 24 hours after vowing to “turn the page” on old-guard New York City Democrats, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced a transition team comprised largely of officials with deep ties to previous administrations, raising questions about his commitment to political reform.
During his victory speech Tuesday evening at Brooklyn Paramount theater, Mamdani declared, “Let tonight be the final time I utter [Andrew Cuomo’s] name, as we turn the page on a politics that abandons the many and answers only to the few.” The mayor-elect, who ran as the Democratic candidate, defeated former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa in the mayoral race.
However, by Wednesday morning, Mamdani had named an all-female transition team that includes several key figures from previous administrations. The team consists of four co-chairs: Maria Torres-Springer, a former top aide under former mayors Bill de Blasio, Michael Bloomberg, and outgoing mayor Eric Adams; Lina Khan, the Biden administration’s Federal Trade Commission chair; Melanie Hartzog, a former New York City budget director who served as Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services under de Blasio; and Grace Bonilla, a former Bloomberg and de Blasio aide who led the former’s Task Force on racial equity and Inclusion.
Elana Leopold, another former senior aide for de Blasio, was appointed as the transition team’s executive director.
“The polls have barely closed and already the incoming mayor is breaking one of his core promises to shake up the status quo and usher in a new day,” said Republican strategist Colin Reed. “New York City started a downward spiral under the de Blasio Administration, and now some of its main players are returning to the halls of power.”
Reed particularly criticized the appointment of Khan, saying she “became synonymous with her hostility toward businesses large and small during the Biden Administration and one of the ringleaders of Bidenomics.”
Khan’s tenure at the FTC has been controversial. Critics have accused her of sidelining career staff in favor of individuals from dark money nonprofits, while implementing an aggressive antitrust strategy that aligned with these organizations’ goals. According to reports, under Khan’s leadership, the FTC credited individuals brought up from these nonprofits for helping craft policy and messaging in posts on its website and in a 2022 report to Congress.
The apparent contradiction between Mamdani’s rhetoric and his early appointments highlights the complex political landscape he now navigates as he prepares to take leadership of America’s largest city. During his victory speech, Mamdani criticized corporate interests, telling supporters that New Yorkers have been betrayed by elected officials who prioritize their own enrichment, declaring, “We refuse to let them dictate the rules of the game anymore. They can play by the same rules as the rest of us.”
Meanwhile, Mamdani’s victory has been celebrated by Alex Soros, son of billionaire philanthropist George Soros, who has funded numerous left-wing campaigns across the country. In 2022, Alex succeeded his father as chair of the board of directors of the Open Society Foundations, which manages approximately $25 billion in assets.
The connection between Mamdani and the Soros family is not unexpected. According to a July report by the New York Post, the Open Society Foundations reportedly donated $37 million over the past decade to left-wing groups that ultimately promoted Mamdani’s nomination this year, including the Working Families Party.
Mamdani’s office did not respond to requests for comment about the apparent contradiction between his campaign rhetoric and transition team appointments.
The mayor-elect now faces the challenge of balancing his progressive agenda with the practical realities of governing New York City, which continues to grapple with issues of affordable housing, public safety, and economic recovery. His early appointments suggest he may be adopting a more pragmatic approach than his campaign messaging indicated, potentially disappointing supporters who expected a clean break from previous administrations.
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8 Comments
The mayor-elect’s transition team choices are a bit puzzling, given the rhetoric about breaking from the establishment. It will be interesting to see if this is a strategic move to bring in experienced hands, or if it represents a shift in priorities. Time will tell how this plays out.
It’s always interesting to see how campaign promises translate into real-world governance. The mayor-elect’s transition team choices suggest a more nuanced approach than the bold rhetoric initially implied. I’ll be watching to see how this plays out.
Interesting to see the mayor-elect’s transition team appointments. While the rhetoric around breaking from the establishment is bold, the team itself seems to have deep ties to previous administrations. It will be worth watching how this dynamic plays out as the new administration takes shape.
The mayor-elect’s transition team appointments seem to signal a more pragmatic approach than the initial campaign promises suggested. While it’s understandable to leverage experienced hands, I hope the promised reforms aren’t entirely sidelined in the process.
The mayor-elect’s transition team choices raise some eyebrows, given the initial rhetoric about breaking from the old guard. I’m curious to see if this ends up being more of a pragmatic move to leverage existing experience, or if it represents a compromise on the reform agenda.
The mayor-elect’s transition team choices are a bit puzzling given the anti-establishment rhetoric. I wonder if there’s a strategic rationale behind bringing in figures with deep ties to previous administrations. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the coming months.
The mayor-elect’s transition team appointments seem to indicate a more centrist approach than his campaign promises suggested. While not entirely unexpected, it does raise questions about the extent of the promised reforms. I’m curious to see how this unfolds.
Hmm, the mayor-elect’s transition team appointments seem to contradict his anti-establishment campaign promises. I wonder if this signals a shift in priorities or if there’s more to the story. Time will tell how this plays out.