Major Garrett hosted a wide-ranging Takeout focused on New York City’s mayoral race, the rise of socialist politics in the city and the party, and broader national implications. The broadcast highlighted late-stage campaign dynamics in New York, reporting from the field, interviews with prominent progressives and strategists, and new polling about how Democrats view socialism.
New York mayoral race: Mamdani in position to win
– Zohran Mamdani, a 34‑year‑old three‑term state assemblyman running as a Democratic socialist, appeared poised to win the mayoralty after a decisive primary. Mamdani’s platform centers on affordability: free transit proposals, free daycare, tenant protections and rent freezes, large‑scale housing construction, and higher taxes on millionaires. Implementing some proposals would require state approvals; Mamdani says he would audit city programs and “overdeliver” on affordability to quiet skeptics.
– President Trump publicly endorsed former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent after losing the Democratic primary to Mamdani. The endorsement risks hurting Cuomo in a city where Trump is unpopular; Mamdani’s campaign has used the association to argue Cuomo could align with the president in ways damaging to the city.
– Ed O’Keefe reported from the Upper West Side and city precincts on intense door‑to‑door organizing for Mamdani. Volunteers across generations—college‑age activists through seniors—are knocking on hundreds of thousands of doors. Ad buys and radio ads for Cuomo have increased over recent weeks, but there was no street‑level GOTV for Cuomo akin to Mamdani’s ground game. The vote to watch is whether Mamdani can clear 50% in a three‑way race (with Republican Curtis Sliwa and Cuomo potentially drawing additional votes); below 50% opponents would argue against a decisive mandate.
National players and politics of the race
– Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders endorsed Mamdani, calling him a candidate who takes on billionaires and stands with working families. Sanders argued a Mamdani win would show the viability of an agenda focused on affordability and challenge political establishments across parties.
– Sanders also said many 2024 Trump voters in New York are now supporting Mamdani because both tapped economic frustrations, though their solutions differ.
– Patrick Gaspard, who advised Mamdani, said business and civic leaders who met Mamdani were impressed by his openness and pragmatism. Gaspard argued Mamdani’s positions on Gaza and Israel were significant to persuading key constituencies; Masthead and donors were being engaged to assess risks and prospects.
– Former officials and strategists discussed whether a Mamdani win would accelerate a leftward shift nationally and how the Democratic Party is negotiating differences between establishment figures and progressive insurgents.
Record early voting and turnout
– New York set a record for early in‑person voting ahead of the mayoral election: over 735,000 early ballots were cast, the highest early turnout ever in a non‑presidential New York election. Analysts said the surge was propelled by energized young voters who helped Mamdani in the primary and are again showing up in the general election.
– Howard Wolfson (Bill de Blasio/Bloomberg adviser in past) and Alyssa Cass (campaign operative) noted polls generally favor Mamdani, but modeling the electorate is challenging because of high turnout among first‑time and younger voters. Campaigns expected a closer general than typical New York contests but still saw Mamdani on a glide path.
– Early returns and precinct‑level organizing could determine whether Mamdani crosses 50% or leaves the race subject to questions about mandate and governing reach.
Policy debate: Democratic socialism and the party
– The show examined Democratic attitudes toward socialism using new CBS News polling. Anthony Salvanto reported that a significant portion of Democrats say they prefer their party head in a direction that mixes socialism and capitalism; younger voters are more sympathetic to “socialist” policies, especially when framed as responses to perceived economic rigging favoring the wealthy.
– Guests emphasized this is less about adherence to Marxist theory than dissatisfaction with affordability, health care access, childcare, and student debt—issues driving voters toward candidates promising structural change.
– Bernie Sanders, on the program, said Mamdani’s possible win would demonstrate that candidates who prioritize working‑class economic needs can win and push for policy changes such as universal health care and paid family leave.
Foreign policy and the campaign
– Mamdani’s ties to the Democratic Socialists of America and his stances on Israel, Palestine and support for BDS tools have stirred controversy and accusations of anti‑Semitism by some opponents. Mamdani and supporters, including Patrick Gaspard and Senator Sanders, said Mamdani’s focus is on human rights and responding to constituents, but the issue has complicated outreach to Jewish voters and donors.
– Gaspard warned that Gaza and Palestine had become a dominant political litmus test within parts of the Democratic base and that Mamdani’s moral clarity on these matters helped him with many primary voters.
Local leaders weighing in
– Rep. Tom Suozzi (D‑N.Y.) announced he would not back Mamdani and instead endorsed Andrew Cuomo, calling Mamdani too inexperienced to run one of the world’s biggest cities and warning his tax and public safety plans could be economically damaging. Suozzi argued the city must remain competitive and expressed concern about policies that could push residents and businesses out of New York.
– Former mayoral and campaign operatives debated the seriousness of fiscal risk arguments and how state rules—fiscal guardrails, the need for the governor and legislature to approve taxes—mitigate radical change.
Political implications and the midterms
– Conservative strategists aim to nationalize Mamdani as the face of Democratic socialism to mobilize opponents in congressional and state races. Republicans are already using Mamdani’s platform in midterm messaging.
– Democrats internally are debating messaging and talent development: whether the party must accommodate a broader generational shift toward candidates focused on affordability and whether those candidates can govern effectively.
What to watch
– Vote totals and whether Mamdani clears 50% in the three‑way race.
– Precinct reports in the five boroughs and early returns for youth turnout.
– Post‑election dynamics inside the Democratic Party over leadership choices and policy direction.
– How a new mayor (whoever wins) navigates relationship with the White House and federal funding.
Major Garrett anchored coverage from Washington with field reports from Ed O’Keefe in New York and interviews across the political spectrum, including Senator Bernie Sanders, Patrick Gaspard, former DNC executive director; Howard Wolfson and Alyssa Cass on turnout and campaign strategy; Rep. Tom Suozzi on why he backed Cuomo; and polling analysis from Anthony Salvanto. The Takeout closed urging viewers to follow election night coverage and to watch CBS’s special reports as returns were tabulated.