In 1918, Eugene Debs stood before a judge about to sentence him to ten years in prison for speaking against the war. His final words to the court: “I can see the dawn of a better day for humanity.”
Over a century later, Zohran Mamdani opened his victory speech as mayor-elect of New York City with those same words.
He’d gone from 1% in the polls to breaking turnout records not seen in over 50 years. Not because his ideas were bulletproof or because the most capitalist city on earth renounced 400 years of history overnight. Because people felt heard.
Truth is, the vast majority of political candidates these days are trying to sell you something. They offer a transaction and sell policies. Whereas winners, build places people want to belong to. They tap into your emotions, whether it’s fear or hope or both, depending on which side you’re standing on.
And that’s exactly what Madani did (oh and Trump before him). Twice.
Mamdani’s opponents tried fighting with logic. “His plan won’t work. He’s dangerous. Here are seventeen economists who agree with me.”
Meanwhile, his supporters had viral reels, chants, handmade signs, cold 6 AM mornings, and each other.
As NYC Comptroller Brad Lander put it: “It’s not so much between progressives and moderates. It’s between fighters and fakers.”
Exit polls showed the cost of living was voters’ top concern. Mamdani addressed it head-on with subway TikTok videos and promises of rent freezes and fast, free buses. Cuomo offered more of the same ol’ policies: affordable housing and perfectly reasonable measures. And it generated zero excitement.
How Mamdani or Trump are remembered by history is not really the point. What’s interesting is what leaders can learn from people like them: that good leadership might have its flaws, but it can’t be faked. Because how other people feel deep inside cannot be faked.
People don’t join a movement because you have the right answers. They join because someone finally said out loud what they’ve been thinking all along. Because finally they feel heard, validated, acknowledged. Because you have given them somewhere to belong.
Safe and boring don’t create movements. Neither does being right.
Mamdani and Trump both built for belonging.
Which at the end of the day, is what real leadership actually is.
