SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The “blue tsunami” celebrations swelled onto the seashores of San Juan on Wednesday, lower than a day after Democrats regained management of the Home and Senate and Gov. Kathy Hochul simply gained reelection.
The annual SOMOS conference, held by the New York Democrats in Puerto Rico after each Election Day, has seen the ebbs and flows of politics.
“Two years in the past, this seemed like a funeral,” outgoing Rep. Nydia Velazquez instructed The Metropolis Reporter on the convention’s opening reception, remembering President Donald Trump’s 2024 reelection. “Two years in the past, we had been right here agonizing. And tonight, we’re celebrating.”
Democrats routed their Republican opponents throughout the nation, which state Legal professional Normal Letitia James, who additionally waltzed to victory on Tuesday , stated was “a few course correction.”
“It’s a rejection of all of the chaos, confusion, and corruption,“ she instructed The Metropolis Reporter.
The opposite distinction to 2024: New York Metropolis is now led by a socialist, Zohran Mamdani, whose historic mayoral election and win appeared far off two years in the past. He’s now using among the highest favorability numbers of any mayor in many years and has used his recognition to assist elect members of the Democratic Socialists of America to Congress and the state Legislature — doubling the variety of members heading as much as Albany subsequent yr, from eight to 16.
When Mamdani and Hochul visited SOMOS final yr, he was a freshly elected phenomenon whereas she was dealing with a doubtlessly tough reelection battle.
Whereas Mamdani made an early endorsement of Hochul this yr and barnstormed along with her throughout town, she is now the goal of his subsequent marketing campaign: for larger taxes on the wealthiest individuals and companies.
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Grace Mausser, co-chair of the DSA’s New York chapter, stated a extra progressive tax construction is a high precedence — and he or she hopes Mamdani was in a position to persuade Hochul throughout their time collectively on the path.
“The rich elite don’t essentially like Zohran, massive companies in the actual property trade don’t essentially like Zohran. Loads of these particular pursuits are allies of Hochul,” Mauser stated.
Each Hochul and Mamdani are set to reach in San Juan later this week for SOMOS.
State Sen. Zellnor Myrie (D–Brooklyn) instructed The Metropolis Reporter conversations round extra progressive taxes will begin taking place over the following few weeks.
The governor has been reluctant to say whether or not she’ll push for a tax on the wealthy, though teams just like the DSA and newly-elected state lawmakers have made it a precedence.
“There’s a philosophical query about who has the mandate. And the governor simply gained by 20 factors — that may be a mandate by any individual’s stretch,” Myrie stated.
“However there have been additionally very spirited primaries the place voters selected them as nicely,” Myrie stated of the brand new legislators. “And that’s additionally a mandate.”
