Following a socialist sweep in New York City’s Tuesday elections, Sen.Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) are dictating their terms and sending warnings to the Democratic Party not to cross them.In a post-election call clipped by Manhattan Institute analyst Stu Smith, a DSA leader remarked that in addition to socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani, "more than three million New Yorkers are now represented by socialists at multiple levels of government, and in some cases that is every level of government."To anyone looking to break the DSA’s hold on these areas, the leader warned, "Don’t even try it," adding, "We control these areas.""We have a democratic socialist mandate in New York City," he said.ZOHRAN MAMDANI IN POSITION TO HELP SOCIALIST PARTY 'SEIZE STATE POWER,' DSA LEADER ADMITSNew York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani hugs Rep.
Bernie Sanders during an address marking Mamdani's first 100 days in office at the Knockdown Center in New York on April 12, 2026.(Andres Kudacki/AP)Meanwhile, Sanders, once one of the few openly socialist politicians on the national stage, declared that "working people" across New York "delivered a powerful message: the era of status quo politics is over."Sanders boasted in a post about "lessons" from Tuesday’s election that "when working people stand together, organize, and fight back, they can defeat establishment politicians and enormous amounts of money and political influence.""We’re making progress.
The task before us now is to build on that momentum," he continued, cautioning that "if Democrats regain control of Congress next year, they must listen to the people who put them in office."NYC MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI SAYS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY 'LOST ITS FOCUS ON WORKING PEOPLE'Brad Lander, former New York City comptroller and U.S.House candidate, stands with Zohran Mamdani, New York mayor, and Sen.
Bernie Sanders, Independent of Vermont, at a Get Out The Vote rally at Kings Theater in Brooklyn on June 1...