Zohran Mamdani and the Rise of Hipster Socialism

Join Charles Fain Lehman, Ilya Shapiro, John Ketcham, and Renu Mukherjee as they dissect the week’s seismic Supreme Court rulings—nationwide injunctions gutted, free speech battles won, and the ideological fault lines now splitting the bench wide open. They take on Trump’s bold executive swipe at TikTok, expose the social media platforms society could ditch, and throw down their picks for Mount Rushmore—where only true American grit belongs.

Zohran Mamdani’s surprise victory has electrified New York’s hard left, and raised serious questions about where the city is heading. In this episode, City Journal’s Rafael Mangual, Nicole Gelinas, Tal Fortgang, and Daniel Di Martino break down how Mamdani won, why moderates failed to unify, and what it means when a socialist backed by “Intifada” slogans becomes the Democratic nominee. They also take a detour to the Hamptons to ask: is it becoming the new Palm Beach?

What’s driving the New York City mayoral race, and how might ranked-choice voting, crime, and policy backlash shape the outcome? In this episode, City Journal’s Charles Fain Lehman is joined by John Ketcham, Renu Mukherjee, and Jesse Arm to break down the latest from the NYC mayoral primary. They also weigh in on the Supreme Court’s ruling in U.S. v. Skrmetti, what it means for free speech and state regulation, and how New Yorkers are navigating the heat and headlines. “Exhausted ballots will be a significant factor in this election,” notes Ketcham.

City Journal contributors Charles Fain Lehman, Tal Fortgang, Rafael Mangual, and Carolyn Gorman break down results from a new Manhattan Institute poll on New York City’s mayoral race. They also unpack the Israel–Iran conflict and the strange state of modern wedding culture.

Charles Fain Lehman, Ilya Shapiro, Renu Mukherjee, and Daniel Di Martino discuss the attack on two Minneapolis state lawmakers, the rallies against Trump, the military parade in D.C., and the New York City mayoral race.

Stephen Eide joins Brian Anderson to discuss “Marijuana and the Mentally Ill” and other issues.

Charles Fain Lehman, Jesse Arm, Neetu Arnold, and Carolyn Gorman discuss Elon Musk and fiscal conservatism in the GOP, the anti-ICE riots spreading across the U.S., and favorite rockstars.

Charles Fain Lehman, Nicole Gelinas, John Ketcham, and Rafael Mangual discuss the violent protests in Los Angeles, the New York City Democratic mayoral primary, and the best Broadway musicals.

Charles Fain Lehman, Daniel Di Martino, Tal Fortgang, and Renu Mukherjee discuss the revised travel ban, the Democratic Party’s struggles with young men, and renting vs. owning.

Charles Fain Lehman, Ilya Shapiro, Rob Henderson, and Neetu Arnold discuss the anti-Israel attack in Boulder, Elon Musk and DOGE, and branded products.