Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett says Democrats could stand to learn a few things from New York City’s new mayor, Zohran Mamdani. Speaking on CNN Thursday night, Crockett called Mamdani a “master” of political communication and organization, praising the Democratic socialist’s surprise win in a race that pitted him against independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.

Zohran’s Masterclass

“Listen, I don’t know that he needs my advice,” Crockett said. “He has been a master and frankly he could do a MasterClass for all Democrats on communication. Whether you’re talking about speaking with passion and heart or just talking to the working class, not worried about the billionaires — they’re gonna be fine. The better the working class does, the better they do.” Crockett’s comments came after Mamdani’s victory shook up conventional wisdom about what’s possible for progressive candidates in big cities — and within the Democratic Party itself. His campaign, fueled by grassroots volunteers and small donations, focused on rent control, workers’ rights, and rebuilding public housing — issues often discussed in national debates but rarely centered in mayoral politics.

Meeting People Where They Are

Crockett said that success came from not only the message but the method. Democrats, she argued, need to stop speaking primarily to “double Ds and triple Ds” — reliable Democratic voters — and start meeting people where they are, especially in communities where the party has lost touch. “They need to learn about organizing people on all levels,” Crockett said. “They need to talk to everyone and not just those double Ds or triple Ds, which are the people that always come out. They need to not necessarily give up on anybody. They need to go to places that they aren’t used to seeing Democrats.”

Democrats Need To Pay Attention to Rural America

Her comments also carried a critique of how Democrats have approached outreach nationally. Crockett said she raised similar concerns during Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign, arguing that Democrats can’t afford to write off rural America or working-class communities that feel ignored by both parties. “One of the things that I did on the presidential [campaign] was I kept telling them, send me to rural America. I have things that need to say,” Crockett said. “But they felt I was more beneficial elsewhere.”

Time Will Tell If Dems Can Reconnect With Voters

Mamdani’s victory — his first citywide campaign after serving in the New York State Assembly — has been framed as a sign of renewed progressive strength in the party’s urban centers, particularly after years of centrist dominance in New York politics. His win, built on grassroots energy rather than corporate donors, resonated with Crockett’s own calls for Democrats to reconnect with voters who feel left behind. Asked if she would apply those lessons to her own future, perhaps in a Senate bid, Crockett didn’t rule it out. “We’re still evaluating that,” she said. “But yeah, I think that it is about expanding the electorate.”