Many Democratic leaders and donors are panicking about Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist who won the party's nomination to be the next mayor of New York City. Why it matters: Establishment Democrats looking to recover from 2024's losses fear Mamdani could hurt the party's brand nationally — while young progressives believe his formula could spread beyond New York.

Progressives see Zohran Mamdani as a candidate who can lead them to greater electoral success. Republicans see another chance to label the party as extreme.

Mamdani, 33, a two-term Queens assemblyman, replicated on a citywide scale what fellow socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accomplished in one congressional district when she toppled former Congressman Joe Crowley in the 2018 Democratic primary, with a new coalition that included younger voters.