By Kevin Harris and Richard McDaniel
A common Republican talking point is that Democrats can’t be trusted to manage major cities. Donald Trump and his Republican allies can barely hide their disdain for Democrats of color leading America’s largest cities. They deride these Mayors as “DEI” hires who want lawlessness and crime to run rampant while their cities decline.
Look no further than the immediate attacks on Zohran Mamdani following his impressive primary win in New York City. Trump Republicans – and quite frankly too many Democrats – immediately railed against Mamdani as a socialist who would destroy New York should he win the general election.
But if Democrats want to finally start winning again and attracting back working class voters, they would be wise to lean into the lessons that Democratic Mayors teach us.
Democratic sniping since Mamdani’s victory is causing the party to lose sight of the bigger picture.
Mamdani was wise to focus on meeting New Yorkers where they are and engaging non-traditional voters with a crisp consistent message on how life is only getting more expensive. His message offered a strong contrast as Republicans double down on policies that will only exacerbate the affordability crisis facing working class Americans.
And for those who can’t vibe with Mamdani because of his proud democratic socialist affiliations, then consider two mayors from the Democratic mainstream. Birmingham Alabama’s Randall Woodfin and Baltimore Maryland’s Brandon Scott have successfully built impressive records on crime reduction, economic revitalization and blight elimination.
Each knows that working-class voters judge Democrats not by our rhetoric, but by our track record: Can you make my street safer? Can you bring jobs to my neighborhood? Can you keep my rent from skyrocketing?”
These mayors have married progressive populism with actual results oriented pragmatism. They like to make their points by getting things done. Each understands that progressive positions without actually delivering results won’t win back the working class. In the South we call this plain common sense.
By focusing on common sense results, Mayors Woodfin and Scott dispel Republican tropes about Black leadership and the ability of Democrats to deliver for the working class. They show that Democrats know how to run government. And images of both doing the work as dedicated young Black fathers further suspends the notion that Black men are to be feared, lack work ethic and aren’t serious about our families and communities.
Mayor Scott has reduced homicides to a 50-year low without starving the government or defunding the police. Similarly, Mayor Woodfin has reduced violent crime by investing millions into crime prevention while boosting incentives for police officers.
Both mayors are offering life coaching, job placement, mental health services, and safe alternatives alongside effective police enforcement.
They are investing in people through blight elimination and true economic revitalization that centers the working class and their desire to live in safe, affordable, and clean communities.
Their cities are thriving despite a Republican agenda at all levels of government focused on starving services for the working class, as highlighted by Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” which dramatically shifts resources away from the poor and working class toward the uber wealthy. Despite these headwinds, Mayors Scott and Woodfin continue delivering for their cities. They are demonstrating that for Democrats the pathway back to power rests on a clear and concise message for the working class backed by actual results.
The usual Republican attacks ring hollow for these two Mayors because the results speak for themselves. They are painting a clear contrast for the working class to see between effective Democratic governance or more chaos and brutal assaults on the working class by Republican policies.
As Democrats start to assess the playbook for 2026 and 2028, we’d be wise to look at the leadership and lessons from two of our brightest stars in Birmingham and Baltimore.
Kevin Harris and Richard McDaniel are veteran Democratic strategists of over 100 political campaigns, including the past five presidential elections and several congressional campaigns. Together they co-host the “Maroon Bison Presents: The Southern Comfort Podcast.”
