Seattle Mayoral poll: Socialist victories in capitalist US: After NYC, West Coast city gets Mamdani-like mayor

Days after 34-year-old Democrat Zohran Mamdani won the New York City (NYC) mayoral polls, a self-proclaimed “socialist”, Katie Wilson, narrowly won the local body elections in the West Coast’s Seattle. Wilson, a 43-year-old who promised to make Seattle more affordable, has dislodged incumbent Mayor, Bruce Harrell, who has been in the office twice spanning two decades.

Katie Wilson, who has never held an elected office, extensively campaigned on making Seattle more affordable, expanding shelter and affordable housing, supporting a capital gains tax, strengthening renter protections, and improving public transit, almost mirroring the campaign of NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.

Progressive Wilson narrowly defeated incumbent Harrell after late ballots swung her way, giving the city a left-wing leader in the mold of New York’s newly elected socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani, Newsweek reported.

Earlier, the incumbent had led by more than 10,000 votes the day after the election, but mail-in ballots counted after November 4 favoured Katie Wilson.

“We’re thrilled with the latest drop, which continues to trend in our direction,” Wilson’s campaign told local TV channel KING 5. “We now believe that we’re in an insurmountable position.”

Katie’s victory follows those of Zohran Mamdani in New York, Larry Agran in Irvine, and Emma Mulvaney-Stanak in Burlington, in line with a trend of socialist leaders taking charge in major cities in capitalist America.

HOW KATIE WILSON’S PROMISES MIRRORED MAMDANI’S

Katie Wilson pledged to fast-track shelter units and pursue more aggressive efforts to expand affordable housing.

She also supported a capital gains tax to raise revenue, a move opposed by Harrell, along with stronger protections for renters and improving public transit, according to Politico. Her campaign mirrored what the 34-year-old Democrat Mamdani promised in the New York City mayoral polls.

Wilson vowed to tackle homelessness by expanding shelter space and criticised Harrell’s approach to clearing encampments. While she previously supported cutting police funding, she, later, advocated adding non-police response programs alongside law enforcement.

Experts noted that Wilson’s message struck a chord in a city where housing has become increasingly unaffordable for many residents.

During the campaign, the mayor slammed Wilson, calling her a “policy nerd” and citing her “inexperience”. He said, “She’s really not even qualified to do the job. She hasn’t had the experiences,” according to a Fox News report.

Wilson admitted she was an outsider without elected experience but said she brought “an insider’s knowledge”.

WHO IS KATIE WILSON, THE NEW SEATTLE MAYOR?

Katie Wilson was born to biologist parents in 1982 in New York.

Wilson’s background includes operating a small nonprofit called the Transit Riders Union, for which her work has included advocating for policies around minimum wage increases, better access to public transit, and affordable housing, Fox News reported.

Before founding the Transit Riders Union in 2011, Wilson held a variety of jobs, from barista and baker to construction worker and legal assistant.

Wilson studied physics and philosophy at Oxford University before dropping out of the institution weeks before her course’s completion. Next, Wilson settled in Seattle in 2004. To make ends meet, she worked a wide range of jobs, including barista, lab tech, labourer, boatyard worker, an apartment manager, and legal assistant, according to her website.

Wilson has also written extensively on local policy and politics, contributing columns to Crosscut (now Cascade PBS), PubliCola, The Urbanist, and The Stranger, establishing her as a voice on civic issues and urban policy.

Wilson’s victory signals a shift in Seattle politics, with voters embracing a progressive agenda focused on housing affordability, homelessness, and public transit. Despite lacking elected experience, her background in advocacy and deep knowledge of city issues resonated with residents frustrated by rising costs.

Katie Wilson’s victory in Seattle places her among a growing list of socialists securing mayoral posts in the heart of capitalist America. Her victory also highlights the rise of a new generation of lawmakers and policymakers into top executive posts.

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