The Mamdani dilemma: The Democratic Party debates between radicalization or centrism

The victory of socialist Zohran Mamdani and the Democratic sweep in the last election, coinciding with the hardening of opposition to Donald Trump has intensified the debate in the Blue Party about the path forward. A fundamental question that was raised after the defeat of Kamala Harris, for many because of her turn to the radical left and Wokism, and which the November 4 elections results have put back on the table.

Although even prominent politicians who expressly supported him, such as Democratic congressional minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, do not consider Mamdani "the future" of the Blue Party, the truth is that his policies have taken a turn dictated by the most radical wing of the formation and radical activists, such as the organizers of the No Kings protests.

The blockade of the Democratic senators to reopen the government, thermometer of the radical turn

This is clearly evident in the Democratic senators' stance on the government shutdown. After the painful experience of those who helped avert a government shutdown early in Trump's term - especially Chuck Schumer, whose position hung in the balance for a long time and who was subjected to relentless criticism - the Democratic Party chose to entrench itself in its demand to maintain healthcare benefits for undocumented immigrants, thus allowing the shutdown to occur.

Once the shutdown began, the senators' stance has been strengthening, especially as they saw caucuses and radical left-wing lobbies pressuring them. The crowds’ No Kings demonstrations served as a test of strength for Democrats, who saw a way to wear down Trump by portraying him as the real culprit behind the shutdown.

November 4th and the 'No Kings' demonstrations

The November 4th election results, with victories for blue candidates in the main squares, and the coming to power of Zohran Mamdani have "envalued" -in the words of the left-leaning news outlet Axios- the Democrats in the Upper House to even reach block and disavow the move by several centrist senators to reach an agreement with the Republicans and re-fund the government in the face of the suffering and chaos already being experienced and which will only get worse as long as the situation continues.

Other Democrats had already jumped on the bandwagon of radical opposition to Trump long before. Among them, the presidential Gavin Newsom and JB Pritzker, who have made the fight against the president the leitmotif of their mandates.

Pritzker has become one of the main enemies of ICE and the deployment of the National Guard in a city ravaged by crime like Chicago, while Newsom has been trying since the beginning of the legislature to earn the title of Nemesis of Trump on each of the measures of the Administration.

Centrism does not throw in the towel

However, there are more than a few Democrats who consider that it was the leftward turn of Biden and Kamala that led to the defeat of the 2024 presidential election and advocates a shift to the center, towards a more classic position of the Democratic Party.

Among them that stands out is Senator John Fetterman, who has not hesitated to blame his own for the shutdown openly and to call for sanity and restraint. Along with him, another group of senators are working to reach an agreement, prioritizing families over ideology.

In the House there are also several Democrats who have broken with their party's voting line to support GOP measures. All of them are confident of reaching out to swing or moderate voters, even independents in the next election.

Pelosi's goodbye reopens debate on leadership rejuvenation

The retirement of Nancy Pelosi comes at a crucial moment for the party. Her undeniable influence within the party, her ability to forge alliances and create leaders leave a significant void in the blue ranks. Incidentally, some of those rumored to be vying for her seat, such as California state senator for San Francisco Scott Wiener, represent precisely the most radical wing of the spectrum, with extensive involvement in trans and LGBT causes and against parental rights.

Moreover, her departure reopens the leadership rejuvenation debate, which also began after Kamala Harris and the Democrats' meltdown a year ago now and which the veterans managed to shut down, with resounding defeats for AOC in winning key seats on House committees.