Zohran Mamdani touts democratic socialist philosophy of 'pothole politics' in review of first 100 days as mayor

Mayor Zohran Mamdani, joined by Sen. Bernie Sanders, touted his democratic socialist philosophy of what he called "pothole politics" — taking care of New Yorkers' fundamental needs — in a speech marking the first 100 days of his administration at a Queens concert hall on Sunday.

“I was elected as a democratic socialist,” he said to a packed and cheering crowd at the 3,000-plus-seat Knockdown Center in Maspeth. “And I will govern as a democratic socialist.”

Mamdani said he drew inspiration from Daniel Webster Hoan, who served as Milwaukee’s mayor from 1916 to 1940, and was known as a “Sewer Socialist” for developing the Midwestern city’s waste disposal system and developing public housing.

“He believed, just as we do, that, to deliver this great society, we should tax the rich,” he said to roars of approval from the audience, which broke out into a chant of “Tax the rich.”

U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove), whose congressional district includes parts of Queens, told Newsday in September that Mamdani's tax plan would drive crucial taxpayers out of New York City.

"His solutions, socialism, raising taxes in New York City, to force more people to leave New York City, more people to leave New York State, providing everything from the government, is not the right answer," Suozzi said.

Mamdani said Sunday that he has tackled the big issues, like providing universal child care to parents across the five boroughs, but also, the smaller municipal issues, like filling in 102,000 potholes.

“Including 22,800 in just three days alone, from Pelham to Tompkinsville, Bay Ridge to Inwood,” Mamdani told the crowd. “City workers have fixed roads at a rate not seen in more than a decade.”

Referring back to his campaign promise to make the city more affordable to working-class New Yorkers, he promised to open city-owned grocery stores in each of the five boroughs before the end of his first term.

He said that he would open the first store under the elevated Metro North train tracks in East Harlem, which The New York Times reported would cost an estimated $30 million to renovate.

Halfway into Mamdani’s speech, Sanders made a surprise appearance onstage, lauding the new mayor for his work so far.

“What you guys are doing here is telling the world that we can have a government that works for all of us, not just the oligarchs,” Sanders said.

Mamdani promised to work with Gov. Kathy Hochul to improve bus and train service and hinted that his appointed representatives on the Rent Guidelines Board would not vote for a rent increase. He also said he would improve worker protection.

A recent Emerson College Polling/PIX11 poll of New Yorkers showed that 43% of voters approve of the direction Mamdani is going in, while 23% disapprove.