Victor Davis Hanson: There’s No Going Back If NYC Elects Zohran Mamdani

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News, Government, Politics, Daily News

4.6 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 23 October 2025

⏱️ 9 minutes

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Summary

For the first time in the modern era, New York City may soon elect an unapologetic socialist as its mayor: Zohran Mamdani The Democrat candidate has expressed ideas that go far beyond traditional liberal politics, echoing principles more commonly associated with communist ideology. Victor Davis Hanson breaks down how New York’s shifting demographics and political culture have created the ideal conditions for Mamdani’s rise—and also how his mayoral reign could permanently alter the city’s future—on today’s episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In a Few Words.” “ Can he be stopped? The only way that he could be stopped, if the right part of the Left and the Center and the Right were to combine and say: ‘We don't like each other. We have very little in common. But this man represents the destruction of our way of life. He's anti-Israel. He is antisemitic. He is pro-Hamas. He is anti-capitalist. He's anti-free enterprise. He's socialistic. And he's gonna bankrupt the state and drive out our entire source of wealth that is the financial class itself.’” 00:00 Introduction to Zohran Mamdani's Mayoral Candidacy 02:02 Mamdani's Socialist Agenda 03:05 Demographic Shifts in New York City 05:16 Potential Opposition Candidates 07:46 Conclusion and Final Thoughts 👉 This episode is sponsored by the Pepperdine School of Public Policy. Learn more: https://go.pepperdine.edu/dailysignal 👉Don’t miss out on Victor’s latest short videos by subscribing to The Daily Signal today. You’ll be notified every time a new piece of content drops: https://www.youtube.com/dailysignal?sub_confirmation=1 👉Want more VDH? Watch Victor’s weekly, hour-long podcast, “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words,” now! Subscribe to his YouTube channel, and enabling notification: https://www.youtube.com/@victordavishanson7273?sub_confirmation=1 👉More exclusive content are available on Victor’s website: https://victorhanson.com 👉The Daily Signal cannot continue to tell stories, like this one, without the support of our viewers: https://secured.dailysignal.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, Anna, I've got a new secret weapon for print.
0:02.2	Print?
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0:04.0	That's not a secret. Print everything for your business with VistaPrint. Business cards, stickers, t-shirt, signage, even photo books from your last holiday. If you need it, we print it at vistoprint.co.uk. It looks like for the first time in the modern era, at least, an unapologetic socialist. Zoran Mondami is going to be the mayor in our November election.
0:24.6	He says, in the modern era, at least, an unapologetic socialist. Zoran Mondami is going to be the mayor in our November election.
0:24.6	He says he's a democratic socialist, but he has said things that make sense only in a communist context.
0:29.6	There has been massive demographic changes in New York, and it's no longer just a democratic city.
0:36.6	It's a radically democratic city.
0:39.3	So Mr. Mamdani thinks he can appeal to these hard left constituencies in a way that would make his election possible with very low turnout.
0:47.3	Can he be stopped? The only way that he could be stopped if the left and the center and the right were to combine and say this man represents the
0:56.3	destruction of our way of life and he's going to bankrupt the state and drive out our entire source
1:01.3	of wealth that is the financial class itself America is going through a higher education transformation where students are realizing that what they want and need is a place that doesn't stifle their intellectual freedom.
1:22.6	Standing out among the few graduate programs that value viewpoint diversity is Pepperdine's
1:28.5	University School of Public Policy, where I've taught the last two years.
1:32.4	Their master's of public policy is both applied and practical, preparing the next generation
1:37.0	of leaders to participate in government agencies, the business sector, and think tanks.
1:42.2	Pursue your MPP at Pepperdine. Daily Signal listeners
1:45.4	qualify for an automatic 50 to 75% tuition scholarship and can learn more at go.peperdine.
1:52.7	.edu slash daily signal. It's go.peperdine.dine.edu slash daily signal. Hello, this is Victor Davis-Hansson for the Daily Signal.
2:04.1	Everybody in New York City is on edge because it looks like for the first time in the modern era,
2:11.2	at least Mr. Mamdami, Zoran Mondami, is going to be the mayor in our November election. Now, what's disturbing
2:18.9	about it is he is an unapologetic socialist. He says he's a democratic socialist, but on
	...

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