swoleregard
just curious, NY folks, how keyed into the mayoral race are you right now?
skipthedemon
This Bostonian who is watching my local lefty friends get excited about Zohran Mamdani is also curious.
swoleregard
it's interesting -- I like Mamdani okay, but I'm not sure how he became The Guy over some of the other progressives
skipthedemon
My admittedly skewed view from being a member of the DSA is local DSA canvassing.
skipthedemon
NY DSA does a crap ton of on the street canvassing.
swoleregard
that makes sense, he's definitely The DSA Candidate
swoleregard
we're pretty spoiled for choice when it comes to leftists, though, we just keep not actually electing them... there are a few people I wish they'd thrown their weight behind instead
skipthedemon
But at the moment it seems like Cuomo will crush the primary probably mostly from name recognition from COVID
swoleregard
ugh I'm REALLY hoping not
skipthedemon
Well, I'm not well verse on who else in the field, leftist wise. Maybe there are better candidates! Local DSA chapters vote on who they want to endorse and how much support they want to offer. I believe Mamdani is both a) an active NY DSA member and b) applied for endorsement.
swoleregard
I mean I'll definitely vote for him over Cuomo, who is not going on my ballot at all
train bitch (+)
Pretty keyed in, Mamdani is doing the most canvassing by far and he's SUPER active locally. Landers has more endorsements from progressives in general but I haven't seen him actually say much?
swoleregard
I think one thing that bugs slightly is that the farthest left seems to actively prefer less experienced candidates... which got us AOC, who rules, but also led to Kathryn Garcia (far and away the best candidate) losing the last mayoral primary
swoleregard
see Lander needs to be out more, he's actually a very good candidate (my top pick) but people clearly don't know that. same with Myrie, who probably should have learned better by now.
train bitch (+)
Lander has done SO LITTLE I thought his name was landers lol... I've seen endorsements but only like one actual campaign thing and it was linked TO the endorsement.
swoleregard
Lander has my vote because he's been extremely effective as comptroller, at least when it comes to checking Adams on his shit and holding him accountable
train bitch (+)
Being qualified and competent but completely invisible is a massive issue with nyc candidates ngl.
swoleregard
a lot of the corruption shit that came out about Adams before the indictment came from Lander
train bitch (+)
We had several better options last time around but the average person was like ???? at most of the names.
skipthedemon
There's definitely a tension I've been witnessing in the Boston DSA chapter where even candidates who are members, or endorsed, seem to be regarded with some level of suspicion once they are in office. Because no one can vote 'perfectly'.
swoleregard
again pouring one out for Garcia, sob
train bitch (+)
He should be saying that somewhere! The only people actually campaigning rn seem to be chimp-- I'm leaving that but I typed chomp - PHONE PLEASE
train bitch (+)
Cuomo and Mamdani
train bitch (+)
Garcia had my top rank too 8(
swoleregard
she would have been SO good
train bitch (+)
Yeah but unless you lived in the east village nobody knew her.
swoleregard
why are they all so bad at that?
train bitch (+)
That was the ONLY area she had canvassers and that really does matter here.
train bitch (+)
Mamdani clearly knows how to canvas. Lander needs to get on it. Progressives are typically relative unknowns, you've gotta get people on the street and on social media for you.
train bitch (+)
All Lander has going rn is the indivisible endorsement. Which is great but he is not out there.
skipthedemon
And you can't drum that up overnight, which means you need to be able to tap into existing organizing and build up from there.
train bitch (+)
He could, is the thing. Every protest has a massive indivisible presence, but the Brooklyn organizer is not... him.
train bitch (+)
He needs to be the one asking people to support him, not an even less known person who is part of a different movement.
train bitch (+)
I haven't even gotten a mailer.
swoleregard
I find this so strange
train bitch (+)
If he's doing any campaigning I haven't seen it 8(
train bitch (+)
There was an indivisible and hrc tied event at an lgbt community space. Like a month ago.
train bitch (+)
Otherwise ???
skipthedemon
I mean ideally is it not both? He is endorsed by Indivisible and local Indivisible organizers ask people to get on the streets/social media and canvass to help make it happen?
train bitch (+)
They haven't, they've just said they endorse him for mayor.
train bitch (+)
No one has been canvassing for him that I know of.
train bitch (+)
It's like the qualified candidates think "well I have a govt position, people know my name" they do NOT tho.
Ptriciadactyl
I'm giggling at Chimp Chomp, I'm sorry
Ptriciadactyl
fingers crossed things turn out well down there
train bitch (+)
And if you wait until the booklet of 30 options happens, we're gonna have another Adams situation where people go "I recognize this one" and do zero research.
train bitch (+)
Ptriciadactyl
: I left it bc it was funny lol
train bitch (+)
Anyway tl;dr I am also worried about chomp bc the endorsed dems and progressives are nowhere to be actually seen except mamdani.
train bitch (+)
Who is not the strongest, he's just the most visible and he's FIGHTY, absolutely has aoc energy.
skipthedemon
train bitch (+)
: Yeah, I think we're basically agreeing. Sucks that Indivisible isn't actually organizing, I guess
train bitch (+)
They've posted saying HE'S OUR GUY and promoted his one appearance that I know of (because they promoted it) but organizing a mayoral campaign is not and shouldn't be their job anyway tbh.
train bitch (+)
And if people aren't already super politically tuned in, they won't see that endorsement anyway!
skipthedemon
Ok, now I'm back to confused. I...barely pay attention to Indivisible so ignore all that I guess. What I'm saying is real leftists candidates cannot win unless they are building off long term organizing structures. It used to be unions, a lot of the time, but now there's so few unions members.
skipthedemon
So saying an existing group shouldn't be organizing for a campaign seems strange to me.
train bitch (+)
I agree that they should build off existing networks, it's just that he's not tapping the networks of his endorsements. Hrc would need funding for materials. Indivisible is a grassroots resistance effort that's currently very busy with. Resistance efforts lol.
train bitch (+)
Idk the history of unions doing canvassing directly, here the campaign does. And the endorsements point people to the campaign.
train bitch (+)
Is it normal for other organizations to do political campaigns for people independently?
train bitch (+)
I feel like that only happens with very wealthy orgs
skipthedemon
Well maybe that last bit is part of the bigger problem
train bitch (+)
Money wise I actually have the stats for that hold on...
skipthedemon
I can tell you that Boston DSA is also grassroots and member only funded, is doing resistance work/showing up to protests, and just chose to endorse a candidate for Somerville Mayor. Members will be canvasing for the candidate. I cannot vouch for how effective it will be at all these things.
train bitch (+)
Yeah so we are about a week out from the next disclosure but after cuomo (obvs miles ahead financially) the fundraising efforts have mamdani sitting at more than double lander. Mostly through social media push and canvassing and fundraising events. I have no idea where lander is getting donations, bc he isn't asking publicly!
skipthedemon
Although the last Somerville campaign (state rep seat) the endorsee came within 41 votes of winning. Mostly through volunteers boots on the ground
train bitch (+)
Boston is also very small tbf
train bitch (+)
I could walk the whole city in an afternoon.
train bitch (+)
But idk. Maybe our local grassroots are inferior that they don't canvass for their endorsements! But that does tend to be on our campaigns.
skipthedemon
Well, I'm not trying to say any particular org is inferior/superior! Just that organizing is important. The original question is why other solid lefty candidates aren't well known and it seems to all be connected to me?
train bitch (+)
Having just looked at lander's social media, he has tons of endorsements and connections, but is doing no appearances and his entire campaign as it were is shitting on combo and --well that's a new one lmao... and Adams.
train bitch (+)
Which I agree with but there's very little of HIS presence.
train bitch (+)
Maybe it's just a marketing issue.
train bitch (+)
oh hey he got my memo! Brad Lander (@bradlander.bsky.social)
swoleregard
good! I can't bear canvassing but I might volunteer for something when I'm back from my work trip next week...
skipthedemon
I'd be surprised if they couldn't use people who do more 'behind the scenes' coordinating, too. The trick is figuring out who to contact.
train bitch (+)
i think his social media manager is. perhaps not very good.
train bitch (+)
interesting!!!
Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social)
swoleregard
yeah, i saw that! it was an interesting breakdown
train bitch (+)
i saw the article linked but it was paywalled lol, this is the first i've seen the map
train bitch (+)
as always: fuck you, upper east side
swoleregard
lol we just got a commercial for Lander during The Amazing Race
train bitch (+)
hah!!! he's definitely amped up his appearances too, i've noticed a difference the past week specifically.