The election of Zohran Mamdani as New York City’s mayor has energized progressive activists nationwide, but on the opposite coast, San Francisco is moving sharply in a different direction.
Mamdani, a democratic socialist, took office this month after campaigning on policies such as free public transit, expanded childcare, and sweeping rent freezes. His victory signals the growing influence of the left in New York, where progressive candidates continue to gain traction among working-class voters and communities of color.
In San Francisco, however, voters have spent the past several years rejecting similar politics. A city once seen as the birthplace of modern progressive movements has shifted toward moderation, driven by public anger over homelessness, street conditions, drug addiction, and the slow recovery from the pandemic.
That shift culminated in the election of Daniel Lurie, a moderate Democrat and heir to the Levi Strauss fortune. Lurie campaigned on restoring public safety, tightening city spending, and reviving a struggling downtown core. His victory followed a series of setbacks for the left, including the recall of progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin and multiple school board members.
Former San Francisco Board of Supervisors president Aaron Peskin, a longtime progressive, said many on the left feel sidelined by the city’s changing political reality. He and others argue that wealthy tech donors and crypto investors now wield outsized influence in local elections, reshaping the city’s priorities.
Moderates counter that the shift reflects voter fatigue rather than donor dominance. Nancy Tung, who helped lead the city’s centrist turn, said voters eventually pushed back after feeling progressive policies went too far without delivering results.
The contrast between the two cities underscores a broader realignment within the Democratic Party. New York’s size, diverse electorate, and higher concentration of working-class voters have allowed progressive candidates to withstand heavy opposition spending. San Francisco, by comparison, is smaller and more vulnerable to well-funded local campaigns that frame left-wing governance as ineffective.
Even some Republicans have begun pointing to San Francisco as evidence against progressive leadership while singling out Mamdani as a new national foil. Former Fox News host Steve Hilton said Mamdani’s policies mirror approaches tried in California, which he claims produced damaging results.
For progressives, the bicoastal split offers both a warning and a roadmap. New York now stands as the movement’s most visible stronghold, while San Francisco serves as a cautionary tale about voter patience, performance, and perception.
