New York mayor Zohran Mamdani has emerged as a leading example of socialist-backed progressive politics, focusing on housing, immigrant rights and healthcare. (EPA Images pic)NEW YORK: "Socialism", once considered a scarlet letter in the US, is growing increasingly buzzy and mainstream as a slate of politicians embracing the label have gained significant ground.
In the wake of November's midterms, members of the Democratic Socialists of America – a leftist organisation that's made inroads within the Democratic Party – now lead cities across the country, including its two largest, New York and Los Angeles.
DSA-endorsed politicians boosted their congressional seats from two to eight and won dozens of local elections, victories partly due to the Democrats' wider battering of President Donald Trump's Republicans.
