Socialists in New York City are, as of 2026, the most consequential political force in the city: the Democratic Socialists of America’s local chapter elected Zohran Mamdani the 111th mayor in November 2025, placed four members on the City Council, and in the June 2026 primaries sent what the chapter projects to be at least 14 or 15 state lawmakers and two new members of Congress toward the November ballot. The movement is now governing, not just campaigning, and the fights over rent, taxes, policing, and immigration that defined the Mamdani campaign have moved inside City Hall.
Who the Socialists Are
The organization behind the wins is NYC-DSA, the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. Before the 2016 presidential election, its active meetings drew fewer than thirty people, often in a Brooklyn preschool classroom. Trump’s election triggered a surge in membership, and the chapter built working groups around housing, labor, ecosocialism, electoral politics, and more.1Forge Organizing. The Rise of NYC-DSA It is now the largest chapter of what the national DSA calls the largest socialist organization in the country.
Members pay dues to the national organization and must live in the city. The chapter is organized into geographic branches of at least eight members each, with a Citywide Leadership Committee and a Steering Committee overseeing political strategy. Conventions in even-numbered years are the highest decision-making body.2NYC-DSA. Constitution and Bylaws
An endorsement is not casual. A candidate meets with a recruitment team, completes a questionnaire, and faces the Electoral Working Group and a candidate forum. Local branches then vote, with 60 percent approval required, before the Citywide Leadership Committee makes the final call.3NYC-DSA. Getting Our Endorsement Endorsed candidates are expected to coordinate with the chapter on legislative strategy and messaging after they win. Working groups cover housing, labor, healthcare, immigrant justice, ecosocialism, trans rights, and anti-war organizing, among other issues.4NYC-DSA. Working Groups
How Mamdani Won
Zohran Mamdani was elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020 from a Queens district covering Astoria. Before politics, he worked as a foreclosure prevention housing counselor. His signature legislative accomplishment in Albany was a pilot program providing free bus service on certain routes for one year.5PBS NewsHour. How Zohran Mamdani Rose From Queens Lawmaker to Mayor of New York
He is a DSA member but has said he runs on his own platform, distancing himself from DSA positions on ending mandatory jail time for certain crimes and cutting police budgets.5PBS NewsHour. How Zohran Mamdani Rose From Queens Lawmaker to Mayor of New York6Bowdoin College. Mamdani Elected NYC Mayor7NY1. NYC Mayoral Race November General Election
The general election on November 4, 2025, was a three-way race. Mamdani took 50.4 percent, Cuomo (running on a third-party line) took 41.6 percent, and Curtis Sliwa took 7.1 percent.7NY1. NYC Mayoral Race November General Election Super PACs aligned with Cuomo spent roughly $28 million during the general — 83 percent of all outside spending — with at least $17.1 million going to negative advertising. Eight individuals or couples each gave more than $1 million, and one pass-through entity transferred $8.6 million to multiple pro-Cuomo PACs to obscure donor identities.8Citizens Union. Super PACs Flooded NYC’s 2025 General Election With Record Cash It wasn’t enough. At 34, Mamdani became the youngest New York City mayor in a century, the first Muslim to hold the office, and the first person of South Asian descent to serve. His term began at 12:01 a.m. on January 1, 2026.6Bowdoin College. Mamdani Elected NYC Mayor
What Socialists Are Actually Doing in City Hall
The Rent Freeze
The signature housing win came on June 25, 2026, when the city’s Rent Guidelines Board voted 7-to-1 to freeze rents on both one-year and two-year leases for roughly one million rent-stabilized apartments. It was the first time the board had frozen two-year leases in its history.9The New York Times. NYC Rent Freeze Vote The freeze applies to leases beginning on or after October 1, 2026.10ABC7 New York. Rent Guidelines Board Final Vote
Alongside the freeze, the administration released a ten-year housing plan called “Block by Block” that commits to building 200,000 new affordable units and preserving 200,000 existing ones, backed by $22 billion in new affordable housing construction funding and $5.6 billion for the New York City Housing Authority.11NBC News. Zohran Mamdani Wades Into Housing Debate The plan sets a $40-per-hour minimum wage for construction workers on city-financed projects, creates a task force to cut development timelines, and proposes legalizing basement apartments and manufactured accessory dwelling units. On the tenant side, Mamdani held “Rental Ripoff Hearings” in early 2026 and launched a “Fix the City” initiative targeting negligent landlords through inspections, expedited repairs, and coordination with district attorneys on criminal charges.12NYC Mayor’s Office. Block by Block Housing Plan
The Budget
Mamdani inherited what his administration described as a $12 billion budget gap. His FY2027 executive budget, released in May 2026, totals $124.7 billion and closes the gap without raising property taxes, cutting major services, or tapping the city’s Rainy Day Fund.13NYC Office of Management and Budget. Mayor Mamdani Releases $124.7 Billion Executive Budget The strategy combines internal savings — $1.77 billion from agency efficiencies and $1.64 billion from restructuring pension payments — with state aid negotiated with Governor Kathy Hochul.14Time. Mamdani NYC Deficit Budget
A new pied-à-terre tax on second homes valued above $5 million is projected to raise $500 million annually, though Comptroller Mark Levine has estimated actual revenue closer to $340 million to $380 million once wealthy owners adjust their behavior.14Time. Mamdani NYC Deficit Budget The budget fell well short of Mamdani’s campaign goal of raising $5.5 billion through taxes on the wealthy and large corporations, a concession to Hochul, who held a no-tax-hike line throughout negotiations.15New York Focus. Mamdani Hochul NYC Budget Deal Big outyear gaps remain: $7 billion for FY2028 and nearly $10 billion for FY2030.16NYC Office of Management and Budget. FY2027 Executive Budget Summary
Childcare, Buses, and Municipal Grocery Stores
Mamdani has proposed universal childcare for children aged six weeks to five years, estimated at roughly $6 billion annually, and his administration described expanding early childcare programs within his first eight days as a “significant downpayment.”17CNN. Mamdani NYC Mayor Policy Proposals18Politico. At 100 Days, Mamdani Is Already a Different Kind of Mayor His proposal to make city buses free, estimated at $800 million per year, builds on the pilot program he helped launch as an assembly member.
The administration has also proposed five city-controlled municipal supermarkets, one per borough, intended to address food insecurity through subsidized rent, utilities, and wholesale purchasing. Critics have asked whether the stores are necessary given that supermarkets already run on thin margins; the administration frames the program as guaranteeing affordable food in underserved neighborhoods.17CNN. Mamdani NYC Mayor Policy Proposals
Immigration
In February 2026, Mamdani signed Executive Order 13, “Protecting New Yorkers from Abusive Immigration Enforcement.” It prohibits ICE from entering city property, including schools, shelters, and hospitals, without a judicial warrant; bars city agencies from allowing non-city law enforcement to use city lots as staging areas for immigration operations; and mandates audits of how city agencies interact with federal immigration officials.19NYC Mayor’s Office. Executive Order 13 Following those audits, the administration ordered more than two dozen additional policy changes, including a directive stopping the Department of Correction from sending daily reports to ICE about noncitizens in custody convicted of certain violent crimes, which the administration said was not legally required. The administration’s audit found a 71 percent increase in ICE arrests in New York City — 5,567 total — between January 20, 2025, and March 10, 2026, compared to the same period under the Biden administration.20Gothamist. Mamdani Mandates New Policies to Bolster NYC Sanctuary Laws
Policing and the Tisch Question
The clearest internal tension in the administration is Mamdani’s relationship with NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, whom he retained from the Adams administration. As a candidate, Mamdani had called police officers “racist” and “wicked” and supported giving the Civilian Complaint Review Board final authority over police discipline. He walked those positions back after announcing he would keep Tisch.21CNN. Jessica Tisch and Zohran Mamdani
As of mid-2026, Tisch remains commissioner and appears to control department operations. The NYPD announced the hiring of more than 550 new officers in 2026, bringing the force to an estimated 35,555, a figure that exceeds City Hall’s own budget projections. NYC-DSA publicly rebuked the increase, calling it contrary to the values of the movement that elected Mamdani. Mamdani has also distanced himself from campaign promises to eliminate the city’s gang database and divert police from mental health responses.22Union-Bulletin. Mamdani Steps Back From Promised Changes at the NYPD
The Albany Ceiling
Almost nothing on Mamdani’s most ambitious agenda — tax increases on the wealthy, new revenue streams, pension restructuring — can happen without Albany. That makes his relationship with Governor Kathy Hochul the most consequential political partnership in his administration.
The two reached a budget deal in May 2026 that Hochul described as a “results-driven, responsible partnership.” The state provided roughly $4 billion in combined direct aid and authorizations, including the pied-à-terre tax, pension payment deferrals, and restoration of city sales tax revenue the state had previously intercepted. In exchange, Mamdani agreed to nearly $700 million in spending cuts targeting housing voucher costs and special education tuition reimbursement, and accepted a delay in the city’s class-size reduction mandate.15New York Focus. Mamdani Hochul NYC Budget Deal
The alliance is real but limited. Mamdani endorsed Hochul for a second full term in February 2026, and the two jointly launched a childcare expansion on the first day of his administration. Hochul continues to reject Mamdani’s calls for an income tax increase on those earning over $1 million, and the two remain divided on Israel, public safety, and the fundamental question of whether the city’s long-term fiscal health requires taxing the wealthy or cutting costs. Mamdani has argued that New York City provides nearly 60 percent of state revenue but receives less than 50 percent back, a framing that signals the tax fight is not over.23Politico. Hochul’s No-Tax-Hike Stance Gets an Unexpected Boost From Mamdani
The Broader Socialist Bench
The June 2026 primaries were the DSA’s largest electoral push ever in New York. The organization fielded candidates for Congress, the state Senate, and the state Assembly, and won nearly across the board despite facing roughly $9.6 million in super PAC spending aimed at defeating its candidates.24New York Focus. NY Primary Election Results DSA State Legislature
The most prominent congressional winners were Claire Valdez in New York’s 7th District and Darializa Avila Chevalier in the 13th. Valdez, a state Assembly member, union organizer, and longtime DSA leader, ran on Medicare for All, the PRO Act, repealing the Faircloth Amendment, and abolishing ICE. She refused corporate PAC money and was endorsed by Bernie Sanders, UAW President Shawn Fain, and Mamdani.25Claire Valdez for Congress. Claire Valdez for Congress26The Guardian. Avila Chevalier Win New York27NBC News. Espaillat NY House Primary Loss
In another upset, former NYC Comptroller Brad Lander, described as a former DSA member who was bolstered by an early Mamdani endorsement, defeated incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman in the 10th District by more than 30 percentage points. The race was defined largely by the war in Gaza and Goldman’s stance on U.S. military aid to Israel.28Politico. Lander Trounces Goldman
At the state level, Aber Kawas won the Democratic primary for State Senate District 12 with roughly 60 percent of the vote, defeating Assemblyman Steven Raga. Kawas, a Muslim civil rights advocate endorsed by Mamdani and Sanders, became the first Palestinian American and first Muslim woman elected to New York State office.29Queens Eagle. DSA Candidates Sweep in Queens DSA-endorsed candidates won at least six additional state legislative seats, bringing the projected total of DSA-backed state lawmakers to at least 14 or 15, the largest socialist bloc in New York state history.30NYC-DSA. Largest Bloc of Socialist State Legislators Ever
On the City Council, the DSA’s “Socialists in Office” bloc doubled in early 2026 when Council Members Chi Ossé and Shahana Hanif formally joined existing members Tiffany Cabán and Alexa Avilés. Ossé was approved at the leadership level 59-to-0; Hanif, 52-to-7. As official bloc members, all four are required to meet weekly with DSA representatives and coordinate on legislative strategy.31City and State NY. Osse and Hanif Officially Join DSA’s City Council Bloc
Who’s Pushing Back
The money arrayed against socialist candidates in New York has been substantial. In the 2026 state primaries alone, super PACs spent $9.6 million opposing DSA-aligned candidates, nearly five times the amount spent at the same point in 2024.24New York Focus. NY Primary Election Results DSA State Legislature The most prominent groups include New York Future, a $5 million PAC funded primarily by FanDuel and DraftKings that targeted DSA candidates while protecting incumbents friendly to the sports betting industry; Moving New York Families Forward, a pro-charter-school committee that received $1.3 million from Michael Bloomberg; and the Progressive Unity Fund, a dark-money group that spent nearly $2 million attacking Avila Chevalier’s congressional bid.32City and State NY. Cheat Sheet on Super PACs
The business community has been wary. A May 2026 survey by the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce found only 4 percent of storefront owners rated city government as “effective” at supporting them, while 68 percent called it “ineffective.”33New York Post. Mamdani’s Disdain for NYC Business The retail vacancy rate stood at 11 percent as of April 2026, roughly triple the national average. The proposed $30-per-hour minimum wage by 2030 has drawn particular alarm from small businesses, with one Columbia Business School professor predicting it could hit the restaurant sector “like a tsunami.”34CNBC. Mamdani NY Small Business Economy
The Citizens Budget Commission, a nonpartisan fiscal watchdog, has warned that raising taxes on large businesses and top earners is “risky policy” given that New York already carries the nation’s highest tax burden and its share of millionaire residents is declining, a trend the CBC estimates has cost roughly $3 billion in annual revenue. At the same time, the CBC praised Mamdani’s Executive Order 12, which launched a 45-day review of city services to identify waste, calling it an “encouraging step.”35Citizens Budget Commission. A Democratic Socialist Mayor Could Have Credibility to Tame Government
How This Compares to the City’s Socialist Past
Socialist politics in New York goes back much further than DSA. The Socialist Labor Party moved its national headquarters to the city in 1884, and the radical German-language newspaper New Yorker Volkszeitung had anchored the city’s left since 1878.36Marxists Internet Archive. Socialist Labor Party In the mid-twentieth century, the American Labor Party, founded in 1936 by moderate socialists, labor leaders, and social reformers, became a significant partner in the New Deal coalition before its internal conflict between communists and anti-communist social democrats produced the breakaway Liberal Party in 1944.37Cornell University Press. Labor-Based Politics in New York
What distinguishes the current moment is scale. Earlier socialist movements in the city were elite-factional affairs or union vehicles. NYC-DSA has built a mass-membership organization that runs its own candidates, wins primaries against well-funded incumbents, and now holds City Hall, four seats on the City Council, and a projected 15 or more seats in Albany, with two more socialist candidates on the November 2026 congressional ballot.