Perhaps the greatest threat to Mamdani’s rise was the issue of Israel, which has emotional resonance for Jewish voters and especially the Orthodox, who often vote as a bloc. His campaign figured any hedging would not win him many Jewish votes but would cost him at a time when the public craves authenticity.

Hello Swampians, it’s Jonathan Derbyshire here, the FT’s US opinion editor, filling in for Ed. Forgive me if it seems parochial, but I’d like to devote this edition of Swamp Notes to Zohran Mamdani’s victory in Tuesday’s Democratic mayoral primary here in New York City.