Some might say that newspapers spill far too much ink on Zohran Mamdani, the new Mayor-elect of New York City. Why would a local leader in one place, albeit a big, important place, matter that much thousands of miles away in places like Minnesota.
It’s a fair point that I am refuting in today’s column (gift link). You might not care all that much about Mamdani, but you likely have some kind of opinion about President Donald Trump, one way or the other. Though these characters are different in many ways, they are alike in one crucial way: they manifested political power from skilled use of populism.
Democrats arguing for affordability won big last Tuesday, a year after Trump won big arguing the same. The churn, the pain, the anger won’t stop until someone actually deals with the cost-of-living.
Populism is a dangerous game with many historical disasters to cite, but some argue it is necessary in times like this. Whether you agree or not, the issues here are coming to every town across the land, including yours.
Read “One takeaway from Mamdani’s win? Affordability is a winning message,” in the Monday, Nov. 11, 2025 edition of the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Aaron J. Brown is a columnist and member of the editorial board for the Minnesota Star Tribune. His new book about Hibbing Mayor Victor Power and his momentous fight against the world’s largest corporation will be out soon.
