Rebecca Katz: De Blasio and Fetterman’s consultant breaks down Mamdani’s win

It’s been over a month since Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani stunned the city with his victory in the Democratic mayoral primary, a result that has sent shockwaves through the political establishment. Among the most forceful responses came from longtime Democratic strategist Dr. Hank Sheinkopf, who warned, “If Mamdani is elected mayor, Jewish New York is finished. It’s only a question of when the lights get turned out.” Sheinkopf joined NY1’s Errol Louis to unpack his stark assessment and share his deep concerns about the city’s direction. Their wide-ranging conversation covered the strategy behind Mamdani’s campaign, the influence of new voters and shifting demographics, and how national and international tensions - particularly around Israel - are reshaping local politics. Sheinkopf also reflected on New York’s civic culture, its complicated history and his call for a return to pragmatic, centrist leadership in an increasingly polarized political landscape.

This year’s New York City mayoral primary delivered twists, upsets and a surprise victory that’s redrawing the city’s political landscape. To unpack the moment, seasoned strategist and key adviser Rebecca Katz joined NY1’s Errol Louis for a wide-ranging conversation on strategy, authenticity and what it takes to win. Katz, whose track record includes advising Sens. John Fetterman and Ruben Gallego and former Mayor Bill de Blasio, reflects on the lessons of this campaign cycle and the unexpected rise of Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor. She broke down how issue-driven, community-rooted messaging continues to resonate with voters, drawing parallels to de Blasio’s 2013 run. The conversation also explored the evolving tools of modern politics, including the need for Democrats to embrace social media, the underrated power of “fun” in campaigns and why showing up consistently for communities still matters more than ever.

During an interview with NY1, Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic mayoral nominee, shot back at rival Andrew Cuomo, questioning the former governor's interest to "help working people." When asked where he stands on the phrase “globalize the intifada,” Mamdani said the distance between what some intend and what others hear is “a bridge that is too far,” and it is why he now discourages its use. Mamdani also discussed his recent visit to the nation’s capital and how his campaign has started a discourse on a potential strategy shift for the Democrats, saying much of it has to do with engaging young people. He also shared his stance on city-specific issues, such as mayoral control of schools and the NYPD, saying he would continue to appoint the school’s chancellor and sustain the current head count of the police department.  

In 2024, Columbia University became the center of a U.S. pro-Palestinian protest movement that swept across college campuses and led to more than 2,000 arrests. The legal battles surrounding student protests, particularly the case of Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil, have been making headlines. Ramzi Kassem is a professor at CUNY School of Law, the co-director of the CLEAR clinic and one of Khalil’s lawyers. Kassem joined NY1’s Errol Louis to discuss Khalil’s legal standing, the broader implications for civil liberties and the role of the CLEAR clinic in defending protest rights against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and post-9/11 policies. He also touched on New York Rep. Elise Stefanik calling on the chancellor of CUNY to resign for “failing Jewish students” and her referencing his position as part of Khalil’s legal defense. 

After Andrew Cuomo announced he’s running for mayor as an independent candidate, the former governor spoke with NY1’s Errol Louis about what went wrong with his Democratic primary campaign while also heavily criticizing the man who beat him, Zohran Mamdani. Cuomo also reflected on past initiatives during his tenure as HUD secretary under Bill Clinton, emphasizing the cultural impact of home ownership and the challenges of affordable housing in New York City. He advocated for massive construction efforts, city control of the subways and ways to tackle homelessness.

Recent shifts in national policy and bold local proposals have put hunger relief at a crossroads. President Donald Trump’s newly passed bill slashes billions of dollars from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — once known as food stamps. Meanwhile, Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is pushing a radically different vision: opening city-funded grocery stores in all five boroughs. Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America, joined NY1’s Errol Louis to break down the implications of these changes. What will Trump’s cuts mean for New Yorkers when they go into effect in 2027? Can local proposals like Mamdani’s make a dent in hunger in New York City? Berg discussed the policy changes he thinks are needed, from raising wages to building more housing, to address hunger at its root.

Google’s monopoly in online search was recently adjudicated by a federal court. There is also an ongoing FTC case against Meta for anti-competitive behaviors involving Instagram and WhatsApp acquisitions. What are the legal and commercial dynamics of these key antitrust cases, and what is the broader impact on the market? Lina Khan is an associate professor of law at Columbia University and a former FTC Chair. She joined Errol Louis to explain the legal principles behind maintaining market competition, historical antitrust cases and potential remedies, including the divestiture of Chrome and business model adjustments. They also discussed the broader implications of monopoly power, Amazon’s dominance, privacy concerns and the bipartisan support for antitrust enforcement.

The surprising Democratic primary victory of 33-year-old Zohran Mamdani over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has left many political insiders scratching their heads. What does this mean for the future of the Democratic Party and how did a young assemblyman who was polling at 1% in February defeat a well-known New York political giant? NY1 political reporter Ayana Harry joined NY1 political anchor Errol Louis to discuss the stunning results of this week’s primary. They also talked about Cuomo’s strategy of limited public engagement and reliance on traditional campaign methods, which ultimately failed. The conversation covered Mamdani’s effective ground game, enthusiastic voter engagement and modern digital tactics. Other topics included the impact of a super PAC’s spending, the role of minority and younger voters, and the implications for future elections in New York City politics. Join the conversation, weigh in on X using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to [email protected].

Political history was made in New York City on June 24, and once NY1’s live TV coverage wrapped early Wednesday morning, NY1’s Errol Louis, Courtney Gross and Bobby Cuza broke down the surprise results of the Democratic primary in this special crossover episode of Off Topic/On Politics and You Decide. Queens Assemblyman and Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani, 33, pulled off an upset over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, an outcome few insiders predicted. The team unpacked how Mamdani’s grassroots movement energized young voters and what his win means for the future of the Democratic Party. 

With the June 24 primary almost upon us, could Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani pull off an upset over Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic race for mayor? Could City Comptroller Brad Lander capitalize on his arrest by federal immigration officials and make a last-minute push? Gerson Borrero is a journalist, radio host and political commentator who appears weekly on NY1’s “Inside City Hall.” He’s also the former editor-at-large of City & State and former editor-in-chief of El Diario/La Prensa, the largest Spanish-language newspaper in New York City. He joined Errol to discuss various angles of the primary. Borrero shared his analysis of the slate of candidates, the influence of the Working Families Party, and the potential impact of alliances between candidates.