There are a lot of reasons why Zohran Mamdani surged to a surprise victory in the Democratic primary race for New York City mayor. His opponent was former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a tired, old, corrupt, creepy symbol of the feckless Democratic establishment. The cost of living and, in particular, housing, in New York City is absurdly high. Mamdani himself is young, energetic, and charming, even if you don't support his worldview.
But in some ways you can capture Mamdani's appeal in a single, simple image: halal food carts. Halal food carts are a staple of New York's working-class food culture. But in recent years, as food prices have soared nationwide, they have become increasingly expensive. And as Republican pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson pointed out on this week's Reason Roundtable, Mamdani was able to channel public frustration with halal cart price increases effectively into a zippy, viral video.
Here's what Anderson said on Roundtable when discussing the causes of Mamdani's win.
