Zohran Mamdani’s Election Signals Progressive Shift in NYC Politics, Taps Lina Khan for Transition Team
In a landmark victory for New York City’s progressive movement, Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, won the city’s mayoral race on Tuesday night. His win marks a significant moment in the city’s political landscape, signaling a broader rejection of corporate influence and a desire for policies centered on equity, workers’ rights, and small business support.
One of Mamdani’s first major appointments after his victory was the announcement of his transition team’s leadership. Notably, Lina Khan, the former chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), was named as one of four co-chairs guiding the transition. Khan’s appointment is more than a personnel decision—it’s a message to the city’s business elite, especially those in finance and technology, that Mamdani’s administration intends to prioritize regulation, fairness, and curbs on corporate dominance.
Lina Khan, a long-standing ally of Mamdani, has been vocal in her praise for his approach to grassroots politics and support for small business owners. She previously wrote a New York Times op-ed commending Mamdani’s outreach efforts, underscoring her alignment with his agenda. Now, as a transition co-chair, she is poised to have a direct hand in shaping the new administration’s economic policy and personnel selections.
Khan’s speech following Mamdani’s victory drove home the intent behind her appointment. “What we saw last night was New Yorkers not just electing a new mayor, but clearly rejecting a politics where outsized corporate power and money too often end up dictating our politics,” she declared. She characterized Mamdani’s win as a “clear mandate for change,” promising a city where “all workers and small businesses can thrive—not just get by.”
This direction stands in stark contrast to the efforts of some of the nation’s wealthiest and most powerful business figures, who spent millions trying to prevent Mamdani’s ascent. The opposition included prominent names like Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, billionaire investors Bill Ackman and Mike Bloomberg, and tech companies such as DoorDash, which contributed $1 million to a pro-Andrew Cuomo super PAC. Cuomo, the former New York governor, finished second in the race. These interests, along with many from Wall Street and Silicon Valley, had backed policies that favored deregulation and corporate-friendly governance.
Mamdani’s campaign, meanwhile, championed measures such as increased regulation of delivery app companies and stronger protections for gig workers, policies that directly challenged the business models of tech giants. His platform also included a proposed 2% tax on incomes over $1 million—a move that drew ire from the city’s wealthiest residents and business leaders.
Lina Khan is no stranger to clashes with the corporate elite. As FTC chair under President Biden, she became one of America’s most prominent critics of Big Tech. Khan spearheaded efforts to block mergers and acquisitions by