Zohran Mamdani campaigns in Harlem with enthusiasm for mayoral race

It was a sleepy but sunny late morning in Harlem Sunday as Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani made remarks at First Corinthian Baptist Church calling for last-minute aid to the Black community.

Just down the street, about 50 people, a line of TV cameras and some members of the press had gathered to learn how to support Mamdani and receive a pep talk from her. One man walked by shouting “Cuomo, Cuomo,” mostly to the amusement of the crowd.

Suddenly he was there, walking down the sidewalk with his entourage. A school bus driver shouted “Zohran,” and the speedy candidate turned toward the bus and stepped forward for a hug and a selfie.

It was the first time I’d seen Mamdani in person, and the bad news for those of us who hate socialism is that this 34-year-old candidate has some serious political chops under her belt, effortlessly and exuberantly pressing the flesh with her signature toothy smile.

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“He’s very polite,” Matt, who is in his early 30s, told me as we watched him take a few questions from what appeared to be pre-selected reporters. I tried to ask him a question but was ignored because of my Fox News Digital vest. But that was okay. I was more interested in asking questions of Matt and his friends.

They had just gotten acquainted with the event, and when I asked Matt to expand on his idea, he told me: “He looks and sounds like a politician.” I asked if this was a good or bad thing. He just smiled and shrugged, but then added: “He also looks really young.”

“It appeals to young people,” Matt’s friend Cam told me. I’m not sure if millennials include themselves in this category. He continued: “And that’s good. It’s time for young people’s ideas to be tested.”

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As I chatted with a few of the soon-to-be campaign participants, there was an almost cheerful tone about them. “We are all so excited for him,” one of them told me. Another added: “I’ve never felt this way about a candidate before.”

The campaigners, mostly young people, looked more like gentrifiers than lifelong Harlem residents, but after all, that’s now part of the historically Black neighborhood’s 21st Century identity, too.

To have any chance, Andrew Cuomo not only needs to win the Black vote on Tuesday, he also needs to win a lot of them. Chad, whom I met on the corner outside a snack bar, was doing his best to help.

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I noticed her when I caught the end of a shouting match with an older Black woman. I saw him handing out flyers and assumed it was for Mamdani. He was actually printing campaign materials for Cuomo.

WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 10: Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is sworn in to testify before the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic at the Rayburn House Office Building of the U.S. Capitol on September 10, 2024 in Washington, DC. Cuomo is expected to speak about his stance on the pandemic and controversial Covid-era nursing home policies, while Republicans will examine his role in the state’s response and allegations that nursing home deaths are undercounted. (Photo: Kent Nishimura/Getty Images) (Photo: Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

He told me that he had been in New York all his life and was not ready for the kind of change Mamdani suggested. “Free stuff,” Chad said dismissively. “It takes money to keep the lights on… I’m tired of hearing about people getting things for free, free, free, but what about the kids? What about the education system?”

I asked him about his confrontation with the woman and he said: “I understand that all the time. Some people hate her and they don’t hesitate to be abusive towards me.”

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I told him to act tough, that what he was doing was important and that’s how democracy works. “Thank you, I needed to hear that,” he said.

I was glad I could offer comfort, but I also instantly realized what a red flag what he said was for Cuomo. If older Black women in Harlem are giving him the task of supporting the former governor, then Cuomo’s support may not be as secure as it seems.

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At the end of the day, for better or worse, political campaigns are run with enthusiasm. Although Chad has been level-headed in his defense of Cuomo, the difference in enthusiasm I’ve seen on the ground the last few days is the size of the Grand Canyon.

Maybe there is a silent majority, or in this case, a plurality ready to quietly flock to the voting booths and fill the small chamber in Cuomo’s name. But if so, at least they’re doing a pretty good job of hiding so far.

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