I had a little bit more context for Zaron because I did a big piece for dissent on New York City DSA in 2022.

And it was like kind of a group profile of different people who are involved in different factions.

And it was interesting in retrospect, because what the piece was about was like, how does the organization relate to the electeds that it has gotten into Albany and into the city council

and into Congress. And I was connected with Duran. And for context, he is an elected assemblyman

in Queens. So he's a state legislator. And the thing that really struck me about talking to him

was he was the person who I talked to

among both the electeds and the people in the organization.

And he was an active member in the organization before he ran.

He wasn't like somebody who sought DSA's endorsement.

He had been in DSA.

Was that he had the fullest vision for how basically like a socialist elected could be like a tribune for the

movement. And he spoke on that topic very eloquently. I also just have to say that he was even

then, three years ago, extremely charming, extremely well spoken, very likable. I just recently was texting with the friend

of ours who connected me with Zoran, looking back at our text messages after I talked to Zoran,

and I was like, who is this guy? He's amazing, which I didn't remember. But he was extremely,

just really, really well-spoken and, like, thoughtful and, like, clearly a serious, you know,

socialist activist, but not annoying about it and, like, very committed to talking about what

that set of values means in a way that's really legible to people who are not socialist and may

never be. I was just really impressed by him.

Yeah, Sam, it is striking just how excellent of a communicator he is.

I did watch some of the debates, and he was so good in them.

Also, you know, the press conferences, especially as he's being attacked in such a personal, nasty way.

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