The Mamdani Effect: Another Democratic Socialist Is Running for Mayor in a Major Blue City
The article discusses the growing embrace of socialist policies within the Democratic Party, highlighted by the recent mayoral race in New York City where Mayor-elect Zohran mamdani campaigned on promises such as rent freezes, free universal childcare, free public transportation, and government-operated grocery stores-policies perceived by many as socialist in nature. Building on this momentum, Rae Chen Huang announced her candidacy for mayor of Los Angeles, the nation’s second-largest city. Her platform closely mirrors Mamdani’s, focusing on affordable housing, an economy serving the people rather than billionaires, free and fast public transit, climate resilience, and community-centered safety. Huang positions herself as an anti-establishment candidate committed to social justice and refuses corporate funding. She challenges incumbent Mayor Karen Bass,who is seen by some as insufficiently progressive. Huang’s campaign underscores a rising left-wing movement aiming to reshape major U.S. cities through progressive and socialist-inspired policies.
Well, if you can’t beat them… join them, right?
As the Democratic Party continues to inch toward the far-left fringes of its base, so too has the rise in the party’s embrace of socialist policies.
There’s been perhaps no greater sign of this than what happened in New York City during its last mayoral race.
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani won that contest, and did so off the backs of a multitude of promises: rent freezes, free universal childcare, free buses and subways, and cheaper food via government-operated grocery stores.
For many, those promises reeked of socialism.
For others — including those within the Democratic Party — those promises were more of a blueprint.
Rae Chen Huang announced her candidacy for Los Angeles mayor on social media, and kicked off her candidacy with an event on Sunday.
Huang announced her plans to run for mayor of the second-largest city in the United States.
“I am excited and very humbled to announce that I am running for Mayor of Los Angeles, the second largest city in our nation,” Huang said on Instagram. “After over 20 years of leaning into my call to serve God through social justice work and organizing, this path has led me in these uncertain times to take the unusual path to continue my calling by running for Mayor to finally see through the changes the LA social justice movement and I have been building for years.”
She then laid out her plans for Los Angeles — plans that sounded awfully familiar for anyone who’s paid attention to Mamdani’s campaign.
“This fight is not my own, but built on years of dedication and commitment of leaders before me who have fought to make LA more affordable, healthier, sustainable and safer for all,” Huang said. “My platform will be focused on housing for all, building an economy for the people- not billionaires, fast and free metro, climate resiliency, and REAL safety through care first models- so that we focus on fighting poverty, not the poor. Over the past decade I have worked with Los Angeles organizers and neighbors on solutions for our city. Now it’s time we implement them.
“I will be running against establishment and the billionaire class and will not be accepting any money from corporations,” the announcement said.
“I believe in the working people who are the backbone of this country. And I believe we can win a city that is led with love and justice at the center and at the helm. Please join me in transforming my beloved city and our country in building the hope we need to resurrect.”
Notably, Huang sees little issue with being compared to Mamdani:
View this post on Instagram
Huang thanked the Los Angeles Times for a piece about her with the blaring headline: “She’s challenging Bass from the left. Could she become L.A.’s Mamdani?”
Huang seems to think that the locals have soured on incumbent Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass — a vocal critic of the Trump administration — for not being anti-establishment enough.
“Thank you to the @latimes for highlighting our campaign today,” Huang wrote on Instagram. “For too long, City Hall has prioritized the interests of the powerful and connected over the needs of working people. Our campaign is fighting for everyday Angelenos, the same folks I’ve organized alongside for the past decade on issues like housing, economic justice, and climate resilience.”
Huang has even posted her first campaign video, touting how broken Los Angeles is and the need for new leadership.
View this post on Instagram
Bass is expected to seek re-election when Los Angeles votes on a new mayor next summer.
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