Their Families Fled Soviet Socialism. Now They’re Knocking Doors for Mamdani.

Magdalena Morańda credits Bernie Sanders with making “socialism” a more approachable term, helping volunteers explain it to parents who fled Europe’s socialist regimes. Alex Rudnicki notices the difference when relatives visit from Europe, invariably comparing the social safety nets they left behind to the inequalities they see in the U.S.

For political theorist Rafael Khachaturian, this combination of idealism and practicality is key. It’s a blend of left-wing ideas with pragmatic organizing. “Democratic control by working people, a stronger public sector, labor rights, minority protections, grassroots participation,” he said. He noted that this kind of politics has been forming since the anti-Vietnam War protests, and much more recently found its home in the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

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https://www.thecity.nyc/2025/10/02/zohran-mamdani-canvassers-soviet-socialism-dsa/