More Than 10,000 Progressives Are Considering Fighting Trump and Running for Office
Zohran Mamdani has broken so many barriers. He’s a young, progressive, brown, Muslim man who ran on extremely progressive policies and won his primaries by a landslide. Although establishment Democrats and Republicans talked badly about him, the people in New York City did the impossible: they elected someone many thought was impossible to win.
What is now called the “Mamdani Effect” has taken over the whole country, and now more than 10,000 progressives from all walks of life are gearing up to run for office with the upcoming 2026 midterm elections.
These 10,000+ people signed up with a progressive political organization called Run for Something, which helps younger people learn how to run for office, bridging the gap of education and walls that many people have to navigate, especially if they don't come from well-off, politically active families.
Co-founder of the organization, Amanda Litman, told The Guardian:
They saw a young person who took on the establishment against the odds and was able to center the issues that young people really care about – cost of living, especially, housing, childcare, transportation – and talk about it in a way that felt hopeful and made people feel like maybe better things are possible.
The Mamdani effect is a prime example of where our generation is headed in the next couple of decades: working-class individuals and those from more disadvantaged backgrounds are standing up and fighting for their rights, as our established politicians refuse to do so.
We saw this wave happen once before, and it was actually during the primaries after Trump’s first term. That’s when the new progressive wave formed, with the likes of AOC, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, and more. Usually, within American history, when far-right governments take over (like George Bush), we get more left-leaning politicians (like Barack Obama).
In my prediction, I believe that we can change the House to a Democratic majority and save the little democracy we have left. Then again, people have to mobilize for that to happen truly. Not just going to the ballot and casting the vote, but by standing behind progressive candidates and making sure they win their primaries so that they can even have the chance to be on the ballot.
Statistically, about 10% of the people who sign up for Run for Something at any given time will run for office. Unfortunately or fortunately, the fear and despair people feel after a significant Democratic loss like last November riles people up and gives them hope for change. Couple that with someone charismatic and out of the box like Mamdani, and you have the perfect storm.
We’re also seeing this in Minneapolis on a bit of a smaller scale, with people like Democrat socialist Somali-American state senator Omar Fateh securing the Democratic party endorsement in July after Mamdani’s win brought him to the spotlight. Fateh is also Muslim and has faced similar national islamophobia that Mamdani did, but that’s not discouraging him.
The rise of young, progressive leaders like Zohran Mamdani and Omar Fateh is not a fluke. It’s a reflection of a growing resistance, a movement fueled by ordinary people who are tired of being ignored by a political system that caters to the powerful. The “Mamdani Effect” is not just about one man’s victory; it’s about thousands of people daring to believe that politics can work for them.
In every neighborhood, in every city, across backgrounds and identities, people are rising. They are rejecting the idea that you need money, connections, or establishment approval to lead.
They are stepping up to run, to organize, and to fight… not just for themselves, but for each other.
This moment is proof that resistance doesn’t always look like protest signs or viral speeches. Sometimes, resistance is a campaign launched from a kitchen table. Sometimes, it’s knocking on doors, making calls, organizing tenants, and showing up where the system least expects you.
If we want a future that serves the people, we have to build it ourselves.
Brick by brick, race by race, seat by seat. The tide is turning, and the people are no longer asking for permission. They’re taking their power back.
And if Mamdani’s win taught us anything, it’s this: when the people move, the impossible becomes inevitable.
I literally got involved with my local Young Democrats because of his campaign and his win. It inspired me to hope and that we can win against the establishment and actually make a change
SAY IT LOUD! SAY IT OFTEN! RESIST BAD GOVERNMENT!!