People of Red Hook – words from the street, by Lisa Gitlin

The day after the televised debate with New York City mayoral hopefuls Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo Curtis Sliwa, (this of course was before Mamdani’s victory), it seemed logical to ask people for their thoughts about the candidates. Strangely, it was like pulling teeth, getting people to talk about these guys. “This is a very contentious race and I don’t want to go on the record talking about it,” one guy said. Most of my willing interviewees were all in for Mamdani, but that doesn’t mean they represent the neighborhood. Two friends in my building, both Black women, told me they’re voting for Cuomo, because—“Mamdani wants to legalize prostitution!”

Josh, bartender at Docky’s on Van Brunt:
It’s my policy, as a bartender, not to talk religion or politics ever. But personally? Okay, I’m voting for Mamdani. I identify with liberal views, and I would like to see more housing and more income equality…I think it’s terrifying, what’s happening in this state. If I lose my apartment, I am leaving New York!

You think you might lose your home?
Yeah! If they sell the building, I won’t be able to afford to live there. I was born here and grew up here.

Where did you grow up?
In Queens.

So you grew up in Queens, and you might have to leave your city because it will be too expensive.
Oh, absolutely. It’s already gotten insane. I voted for Bernie. I was in the Occupy Wall Street movement. I don’t protest anymore because all politics are silly at this point, but you know…If it gets any more expensive, I’m going to Ireland.

Christine Lazzara:
I’m happy that Adams is gone. I don’t think he’s much of an upstanding person. He does a lot for himself. I’ve seen him at parties, hanging out with everybody, it seems like it’s his thing. But in general, politics are a toxicity in my life. I hope for the best and do my part, but I prefer not to let the negativity of politics into my life. I’m a New Yorker, born and raised in Queens, in Bayside, and my father was a New York City firefighter, and I’m a diehard local, I’m never leaving. Ten years ago I quit my corporate job and started my business, which is called Just Ask Christine. I share my knowledge of New York with people who visit here, or even people who live here, who ask me, what can I do here? What’s new and different? Instead of the same old, same old. Tonight I’m in Red Hook because it’s a place I’ve been meaning to discover more about. And this is my favorite time to explore – at night (the city) is so peaceful and beautiful and enchanting. I just saw the sunset, and it’s beautiful, and I was thinking of the people I’m going to share this with.

So you don’t want politics to interfere with the positive energy you’re feeling about the city.
And to interfere with the love of the city that everybody could have, but some people are afraid to come here because they’re thinking about what they’re hearing. And I don’t think negativity is the way to produce a love affair with New York City. I want people to see the beauty of New York.

But you’re not a big fan of the current mayor and you’re not unhappy that he’s leaving.
I’m not unhappy with it. I’m excited for something new, and I think everybody’s ready for something new. It will be nice to have a change, and hopefully things will improve.

Ben Walker (enjoying a beer outside Sunny’s):
Mamdani has been given a bad rap, maybe –there’s a presumption about what he stands for, that he’s a Muslim sympathizer, that he’s here to ruin the lives of Americans, but I don’t consider that to be true.

I’ll just say I know the sources of those viewpoints.
I’m not well up on who’s running and what their policies are, but what I have heard about Mamdani, it sounds like it’s pretty good for New York. He’s looking after people. He’s trying to get rents down. He’s trying to get the cost of living down. He seems like a genuine person.

Do you intend to vote for mayor?
As you can tell by my quirky accent, I’m English, so I can’t vote for mayor. But if I could vote, I would vote for him. He presents himself very well, and there’s an opportunity for a change in direction. And also, I think he wants to stick it to the federal government a little bit! And the other main point is the other two candidates, Cuomo, and the Guardian Angel or whoever that is…
Curtis Sliwa.

Yeah, they don’t really instill too much confidence. I think Cuomo maybe had his chance and has butchered those opportunities. So I would say it’s time for something new, to have a new attitude and don’t be fearful of change. Embrace change, if it’s going to be better for everyone. But I think a lot of people are just burned out of politics. You know? With good reason, because of all the shysters and sharks.

So you’re English, but you’re also a New Yorker. Well, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts with me.

Leyla Nuritova:
I like the sense of hope that Mamdani brings. I was texting a friend of mine after Mamdani won in the primaries, and he went to this event with all these big executives and they’re all terrified of him. They’re afraid of being taxed, or –

A lot of the big executives are concerned about economic redistribution, which is what socialists are interested in, like Bernie, who supports him.
So, yeah. And to me it’s exciting to have a nominee that elicits a reaction that is not just like an emotional reaction, but like there might be actual consequences. I’m not on Instagram, I’m not on Tic Toc, and a lot of Mamdani’s following and his movement started on social media. But I think there are so many of us that are ready for socialism. Whatever form of it we can get, whatever we’re allowed to have.

We need some help from the system. It’s hard to live in New York City now.
Yeah. I mean, I think we’re making it work, but it’s unreasonable.

That’s sums it up, doesn’t it?
I think we need hope. This primary was really hopeful for me, seeing that the democratic process can have an impact, that it can rattle some cages. I mean, this young man just stomped over Cuomo who was the prototypical establishment candidate.

A lot of people are concerned about Mamdani’s lack of experience. I mean, he’s an assemblyman, but taking on the job of mayor of New York City, that’s a tall order.
I would hope that he would have the intelligence to hire people that can help him get things done.
He’s not going to do it himself.

Yeah, exactly.

Mike Coughlan and
Paul Sullivan:
Mike: I think Mamdani is exposing the Democratic party, the National Party leadership – he’s looking to get rid of complacent and complicit Democrats who are in safe seats.

Oh, like, Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries.
Exactly. They could be fighting harder, they could be doing more, like AOC is. Why aren’t they? I think Mamdani is exposing the Democratic Party for being in on the game to a great extent. There’s a guy in Maine (oyster farmer and military veteran Graham Platner) who’s running in the Senate primary against (Governor) Janet Mills, and he’s using the language that Bernie’s using. He’s coming out against the donor class. He’s not afraid. On a website called “A More Perfect Union,” they have aggregated polls showing that he is by far and away the favorite candidate, but the Democratic Party is choosing Janet Mills – of course they are. And she’s, like, 77 years old, and she wouldn’t be in office for another almost two years.

But going back to Mamdani, he’s kind of untested. He’s young. And people are saying, how is he going is he going to get all that stuff done?
Sure. But (his youth) can be a strength. The fact that he’s new and he’s fresh means that he’s not beholden to the same old, party machine. So I say that it’s totally and entirely an asset.

Paul: I’ve lived in New York for over 25 years, and we’ve never once had a normal mayor. There’s been one weirdo after another. So if you give me a choice between the guy that used to fight people in subways, , the sex pest, and the young Muslim guy, I’ll take the young Muslim guy!

We have had some weird mayors.
I mean even look at De Blasio. He had good intentions, but he thought he was going to be president? Like, that’s fucking delusional. And Bloomberg? They gave him another term because they didn’t know what else do with him. Guiliani? Dinkins? Go back and find the first not weird mayor. Everyone comes here and screws it up so bad that who wants to be mayor of New York?

What are you thinking about Mamdani then?
I’m going to vote for him even though he’s kind of weird.

Do you think that he might be able to accomplish the things that he talks about?
No! No one ever accomplishes anything they say they’re going to do. I just don’t want those other two knuckleheads.