Biden’s 2024 defeat revealed just how much the Democrats squandered a rare opportunity. CNN’s Fareed Zakaria summed it up bluntly: “Circumstances were ripe for a Democratic victory. They blew it.” Democrats didn’t just blow it for themselves, they blew it for independents and moderates alike.
The country is about to re-enter the familiar cycle of handing power from one extreme to another. Since President Carter, centrists have repeatedly been followed by periods of far-right and far-left rule, leaving pragmatic governance squeezed in between.
Governor Ron DeSantis has claimed, rightfully so, that a Mamdani victory would be bad for New York City but advantageous for Republicans. While it is unclear what a Mamdani mayorship will bring to the city, it will almost certainly fuel narratives for Republicans nationwide.
Polls show New York Governor Kathy Hochul faces considerable opposition from GOP Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, who has shifted positions on key issues like the 2021 Equality Act and criticized President Biden’s energy policies, despite his strong advocacy. Stefanik represents a faction of the Republican Party aligned with the MAGA mentality. With Mamdani as the face of New York Democrats, a potential Stefanik governorship and Mamdani mayorship would create a perfect setup for the worst of both worlds: one side pushing to defund the police, the other laying the groundwork for a police state. Extremists on both sides could dominate the narrative, leaving moderates squeezed out. Mamdani’s victory has already set the stage for challenges to centrists, as Yessenia Avilés and Brad Lander are both laying the groundwork to mount primary challenges to Congressman Dan Goldman.
Centrists are at risk of being overshadowed, as they were from 1980–2021. The very concept of centrism is in danger of being permanently eclipsed in practice. Voices calling for compromise could vanish, and if this cycle continues, pragmatic governance could disappear entirely. The result would be a legislative environment where centrists, despite their essential role in building coalitions , struggle to influence policy. New York is setting the tone and the rest of the country may soon follow.