It serves a calculated purpose: to associate the rise of progressive politics with chaos and violence, regardless of who committed the crime or what the actual motives were. Mamdani’s Challenge: Staying True to ValuesZohran Mamdani has emerged as a rare voice of genuine democratic socialism in American city politics. The violence of poverty and inequality kills far more people than any political assassination. But it is also a moment that reveals the cynical workings of political media. Establishment forces are already using this crime to try and delegitimize progressive politics.