Gen Z, NYC, and Our Turn In the Game of Democracy

“Don’t be glazing me here, Zohran!” 

Is it another annoying soundbite from walking through the annex cafeteria, or is it a 71-year-old politician from New York in a nationally televised debate? If you guessed the second option, you are, somehow, correct! That 71-year-old man is Curtis Sliwa, the Republican mayoral candidate for New York City. He has been a staple in New York’s politics for decades, starting his life in community involvement as a member of the Guardian Angels—a vigilante group that rode on NYC subways in the 80s and 90s to prevent violent crime. But even as one of New York’s most successful Republican candidates, he has struggled to find his big break. And with a trendy, underground progressive in the race, along with a well-established career politician Democrat, it looked like Sliwa’s chances in 2025 were over before it began. But to the country’s surprise, this was his golden ticket to fame. Against a Millennial democratic socialist who won his primary in no small part due to the youth vote, Sliwa has done an incredible job of fielding young voters in an overwhelmingly liberal city.

Instead of risking his appeal with young people and liberals by focusing his attacks on the populist Mamdani, Sliwa has almost formed an unexpected alliance with Mamdani to focus the offence on Cuomo. Trapping him from both sides with witty lines that highlight his worst moments, Sliwa reminds younger New Yorkers that “if you’re under thirty, Cuomo’s always flirty,” a reference to the former governor’s accusations of sexual misconduct. But Sliwa’s one-liners are not the only way he has been connected with young people. Like his progressive counterpart, Sliwa is known for his presence in the streets and avenues of the five boroughs. While brand-name politicians, like Mr. Cuomo, ride around New York in protected vehicles and shy away from public appearances outside of planned events, Sliwa makes it a point of his campaign to directly relate with young New Yorkers wherever they may be, without barriers that block him from the faces of his constituents. It is a practice that goes way back to his days as a member of the Guardian Angels, who rode the crime-infested subways of ‘80s New York.

Despite all of these efforts, Curtis’ newfound notoriety hasn’t made up for the fact that Mamdani remains the favorite to win on Tuesday. Regardless of who wins, it is clear this race will influence American politics for years to come. Already, Mamdani’s playbook of using social media and humor to energize participation from young people is already being imitated by Sliwa and other politicians across America. From promising an end to “halalflation,” riding the subway while eating a burrito, to cheering along with excited New York Knicks fans—all within short-form video clips that combine goofy youth antics with internet culture to create a once-in-a-generation movement, the assemblyman was elevated from an underground member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) to an international superstar in an instant. Though his policies have remained mostly constant, it’s been his radical messaging against the establishment members of his own party that gave him the chance to give the show of a lifetime.

People like Sliwa or Mamdani aren’t supposed to win elections. Unpolished, unfiltered, and unapologetic, figures like them are typically tossed aside for somebody inoffensive and agreeable. Somebody cut from the same cloth and crew as the other guys in politics, on both sides of the aisle. Cuomo is perhaps the poster child for this way of politics. He inherited much of his political credibility not from his own efforts, but from those of his father, Mario Cuomo, whose time as mayor ended decades ago. His most recent contribution to the world of politics came from his time as governor of New York, living 150 miles away in the small city of Albany. There, his image of transparency and accountability was shattered by allegations of sexual misconduct and mishandling of nursing homes during the height of COVID-19. For many young people, Cuomo’s resignation and scandals are less a testament to quality and more a symbol of rot and decay. Young people are increasingly disillusioned with a system they believe no longer serves them and serves only those lucky few at the very top. But instead of ignoring politics, they’re changing it. On both sides, they are tired of being pandered to instead of being listened to. Ironically, the first exception to this reign of establishment figures in contemporary American politics came from New York as well, when Donald Trump, who may soon become Mamdani’s greatest enemy, announced his campaign in 2015, shocking both the parties and the media. Perhaps the issues young people have with politics can be summarized in a single snippet of debate between the three mayoral candidates. During questioning, the three candidates were asked whether they would rather attend a Mets game or a Knicks game if both were held simultaneously. And while Cuomo struggled to choose between the Mets and Knicks, Mamdani’s insistence that he “just pick a team” went far beyond sports. It was a bipartisan call for authenticity and real solutions from our elected officials.

At South Brunswick High School, more than learning about the past, we get to understand the things happening around us today. As the inheritors of the deeply troubled world we’ve been given, we share a unique responsibility to each other and the next generation, to take on the challenges we’ve been left with. This means acknowledging the failures our predecessors and current leaders have made, even if they look or think like us. In this way, perhaps Gen Z is looking at America beyond color, whether that be red and blue or white and black. Instead, much of our generation is working to bridge the divides between ourselves and build leaders who represent our interests, our values, our dreams, and our future, beyond simply filling the pocket of whoever has been in power the longest. It is this questioning of authority by our generation that is represented through both Curtis and Zohran. This generation, even here in South Brunswick, is working diligently to build new leaders, so that when it’s our turn, we’re ready to shape the world into something more beautiful than what we were given. Out of many divided voices, a single one rings clear, addressed expressly at those with the power: change is coming, and it won’t wait for you.