Mamdani's youth support goes beyond New York. For many, he's now a national leader

""He's been really the only bright spot for me this year," she said. "[He] wants to listen to the people he's seeking to govern.""

""I would like to believe one day there could be a Zohran Mamdani for Gulfport, Miss., but I don't think that's ever going to happen, at least not in my lifetime," Ash said, acknowledging her state's deep conservative roots. "But it gives me hope that it can happen in other places across the country.""

""When a candidate is able to speak to the concerns of the populace and validate those concerns I think that that has a big impact, especially when it comes to young people," said Ruby Belle Booth, who studies young voters for the nonpartisan research organization CIRCLE. "They really feel heard and like they're being respected,""

Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old state assemblyman and Democratic Socialist, rose from a long-shot fringe candidate to a national figure after an upset June primary win. His campaign centers on affordability and attracted the highest turnout among 18-29-year-olds in the primary. Polls show him as the clear frontrunner against former governor Andrew Cuomo heading into Election Day. Young voters and young people outside New York report renewed hope and feel his message addresses their pressing concerns about rising costs. Research from nonpartisan observers indicates that when candidates validate young people's concerns, those voters feel heard, respected, and more likely to engage.

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