Mamdani's political breakthrough was no isolated victory. With progressive candidates advancing in congressional races, a historic Senate victory in Michigan and a possible earthquake in Los Angeles, the movement is challenging the Democratic establishment on multiple fronts.
By Yiannis Damellos and Mars Strangelove Jr.
November 4, 2026
LOS ANGELES — The political establishment in America's second-largest city may be facing a restructuring of its own. Nithya Raman, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), has opened a lead over incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in a closely watched contest that has exposed the growing divide between traditional Democratic power brokers and a younger, more progressive political coalition.
As of Wednesday evening, Raman's lead over incumbent Karen Bass had widened to approximately 26,000 votes, according to POLITICO. An even more encouraging update came from LAist at 8:40 p.m. Pacific time, with Raman leading 51.67% to Bass's 48.33%, as approximately 72% of the expected vote had been counted. Decision Desk HQ had called the race for Raman, although neither LAist nor the Associated Press had independently declared her the winner. With ballots still being counted and the official result pending, Raman's growing lead has nevertheless sent a clear message to Los Angeles' established political leadership.
The symbolism is difficult to overlook. Bass had secured the support of much of Los Angeles' political establishment, including prominent elected officials and major institutional interests. Raman, meanwhile, built a coalition of younger voters, renters, neighborhood organizations and labor groups willing to challenge the traditional political hierarchy.
Kurt Petersen, co-president of UNITE HERE Local 11, one of the major labor organizations supporting Raman, described the result as an earthquake in Los Angeles politics. His point was straightforward: elected officials could line up behind the incumbent, but that did not mean their constituents would follow them.
And Raman is not the only progressive reshaping the city's political landscape.
Marissa Roy, a Democratic Socialists of America member who campaigned on transforming the City Attorney's Office into a public-interest institution, established a commanding lead over centrist rival John McKinney. Meanwhile, City Controller Kenneth Mejia, another progressive figure, had already secured reelection in June, finishing as the city's top vote-getter.
Together, these developments point to the emergence of a progressive political presence in Los Angeles that extends beyond a single candidate or election. It is increasingly represented in the city's institutions, electoral coalitions and neighborhood organizations.
The challenge awaiting Raman, however, is substantial. Los Angeles faces a persistent homelessness crisis, soaring housing costs, deteriorating infrastructure and the enormous logistical demands of hosting the 2028 Olympic Games. Winning an election against the establishment is one thing. Delivering results while governing a city whose political institutions largely opposed her is another.
But Los Angeles is not developing in isolation. Across the country, the political movement associated with Zohran Mamdani's breakthrough in New York is finding new electoral opportunities.
New York: Mamdani's political influence moves beyond City Hall
When Zohran Mamdani won New York City's mayoral election in 2025, his victory was widely regarded as a breakthrough for democratic socialism. His campaign had challenged conventional Democratic politics by putting housing affordability, the cost of living, public services and economic inequality at the center of the debate.
One year later, his influence is extending into congressional politics.
Three candidates endorsed by Mamdani competed for seats in the House of Representatives. Two Democratic Socialists of America candidates, Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez, won their respective races, according to CBS News projections. Former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, another Mamdani-backed candidate, had already defeated incumbent Dan Goldman in the Democratic primary and was running in the general election for the 10th Congressional District.
The results represent an important development for the progressive movement. The New York campaign infrastructure that helped Mamdani reach City Hall has demonstrated its ability to organize beyond a mayoral contest and influence the composition of the congressional delegation.
The significance is not simply the number of seats involved. It is the emergence of a political organization capable of challenging established Democratic figures in their own districts, mobilizing younger voters and building coalitions around economic and social issues.
The national picture: A progressive breakthrough in Michigan
The congressional results are part of a much wider Democratic victory in the 2026 midterms, which saw the party regain control of both chambers of Congress.
But among the most consequential individual victories for the progressive wing was Abdul El-Sayed's election to the U.S. Senate in Michigan.
The 42-year-old former public health official defeated Republican Mike Rogers, becoming the first Muslim elected to the United States Senate. His campaign focused on reducing costs for working families, limiting corporate influence in politics and establishing Medicare for All.
The victory also came after a campaign marked by attacks on his Muslim identity and allegations of extremist associations that he denied and that were not supported by evidence. His election represents both a historic milestone in political representation and a significant breakthrough for the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.
Other progressive Democrats also registered important victories in the midterms, including candidates in Michigan, Colorado and Texas. The results suggest that progressive campaigns are no longer confined to a handful of traditionally liberal urban districts.
There is, however, an important distinction to make. The nationwide Democratic victory cannot automatically be interpreted as a referendum on every progressive policy. Voters were also responding to inflation, the cost of living, the administration's policies and the war with Iran. The Democratic coalition includes moderates, liberals and democratic socialists with sometimes sharply different priorities.
Nevertheless, the electoral gains have given progressive lawmakers a larger platform from which to press their demands.
When Zohran Mamdani won New York City's mayoral election in 2025, his victory was widely regarded as a breakthrough for democratic socialism. His campaign had challenged conventional Democratic politics by putting housing affordability, the cost of living, public services and economic inequality at the center of the debate.
One year later, his influence is extending into congressional politics.
Three candidates endorsed by Mamdani competed for seats in the House of Representatives. Two Democratic Socialists of America candidates, Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez, won their respective races, according to CBS News projections. Former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, another Mamdani-backed candidate, had already defeated incumbent Dan Goldman in the Democratic primary and was running in the general election for the 10th Congressional District.
The results represent an important development for the progressive movement. The New York campaign infrastructure that helped Mamdani reach City Hall has demonstrated its ability to organize beyond a mayoral contest and influence the composition of the congressional delegation.
The significance is not simply the number of seats involved. It is the emergence of a political organization capable of challenging established Democratic figures in their own districts, mobilizing younger voters and building coalitions around economic and social issues.
The national picture: A progressive breakthrough in Michigan
The congressional results are part of a much wider Democratic victory in the 2026 midterms, which saw the party regain control of both chambers of Congress.
But among the most consequential individual victories for the progressive wing was Abdul El-Sayed's election to the U.S. Senate in Michigan.
The 42-year-old former public health official defeated Republican Mike Rogers, becoming the first Muslim elected to the United States Senate. His campaign focused on reducing costs for working families, limiting corporate influence in politics and establishing Medicare for All.
The victory also came after a campaign marked by attacks on his Muslim identity and allegations of extremist associations that he denied and that were not supported by evidence. His election represents both a historic milestone in political representation and a significant breakthrough for the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.
Other progressive Democrats also registered important victories in the midterms, including candidates in Michigan, Colorado and Texas. The results suggest that progressive campaigns are no longer confined to a handful of traditionally liberal urban districts.
There is, however, an important distinction to make. The nationwide Democratic victory cannot automatically be interpreted as a referendum on every progressive policy. Voters were also responding to inflation, the cost of living, the administration's policies and the war with Iran. The Democratic coalition includes moderates, liberals and democratic socialists with sometimes sharply different priorities.
Nevertheless, the electoral gains have given progressive lawmakers a larger platform from which to press their demands.
Troy Jackson and the hundred days campaign
Troy Jackson's victory in Maine adds another significant dimension to the progressive gains of the 2026 midterms. Jackson is not a product of the Washington political establishment, and not the populist kind that Trump has attracted in the past. A fifth-generation logger from rural Aroostook County and former president of the Maine State Senate, Jackson defeated Republican Senator Susan Collins, ending her three-decade career in Washington. A huge result for the working class.
Unlike the traditional political figures who dominate national campaigns, Jackson built his identity around his working-class roots, workers' rights, universal healthcare and the rising cost of living. Backed by Senator Bernie Sanders, he entered the Senate race at the last minute after Graham Platner withdrew as the Democratic nominee, leaving Jackson barely 100 days to mount a statewide campaign. His victory demonstrates that economic populism can resonate well beyond America's major metropolitan centers, reaching rural communities where working people have their own agendas of political change.
The developments in New York and Los Angeles reveal something that the national election results alone cannot fully explain: the struggle over the future direction of the Democratic Party is increasingly taking place at the local level.
Mamdani's victory demonstrated that a candidate outside the traditional party establishment could build a winning coalition around affordability and public services. El-Sayed's election has brought a progressive voice into the Senate. The New York congressional results have extended that organizing effort into the House. And Los Angeles is watching a similar political challenge unfold at City Hall.
For the Democratic Socialists of America, the Los Angeles results are particularly significant. Noah Suarez-Sikes, a member of the organization's local leadership, described the campaign's progress as the result of building the collective strength to compete for the mayor's office, the City Attorney's Office, congressional seats and City Council positions.
That is a different proposition from simply electing a popular candidate. It is about building an enduring political presence capable of influencing policy and holding elected officials accountable.
The question now is whether these victories can translate into tangible improvements in people's lives: more affordable housing, better public services, accessible healthcare, stronger labor protections and a political system less dependent on wealthy donors and corporate interests.
There are no guarantees. Raman, if her lead holds, will face the difficult task of governing a city whose established political leadership largely opposed her. Mamdani faces the challenge of translating his New York campaign promises into municipal policy. El-Sayed and the incoming progressive lawmakers will have to negotiate with colleagues who do not necessarily share their economic agenda.
And the Democratic Party itself remains a coalition with competing visions of how to confront the Trump administration and what should come afterward.
But one development is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore: the progressive movement has acquired a larger electoral presence, a growing network of elected representatives and a national audience.
New York was not the end of the story. Michigan has added another chapter. Los Angeles may be writing the next one. These elections are almost over. But the political struggle over what comes next is only beginning.
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