The experiences of a well-known West Coast city might serve as a warning: Zohran Mamdani’s vision for transforming New York could not only fall short but also drive voters away once they experience his version of a socialist “utopia.”

Mamdani, the incoming mayor, aims to introduce policies like rent freezes, free public transportation, and subsidized gender transition procedures, even for minors. His plan hinges on increasing the tax burden on New York’s wealthiest residents, who already contribute significantly to the city’s social programs.

While this agenda secured him the mayoral seat, what he didn’t highlight is the potential aftermath. How much do people truly appreciate progressive governance? And what impact do such policies have on local economies and living standards when implemented by left-leaning politicians?

Consider Oregon, one of the nation’s most progressive states, which funds extensive social welfare programs through hefty business taxes and state income taxes. Additionally, it has recently adopted measures to reduce police funding and authority—initiatives that align with Mamdani’s platform.

Portland, Oregon’s largest city, has embraced similar socialist policies promoted by the incoming New York mayor. Unfortunately, it has become synonymous with urban decline, plagued by rising crime rates, business exodus, and homelessness. Residents are increasingly fed up.

According to the survey conducted by Public Opinion Strategies (financed by the a pro-business advocacy group “Save our Cities”) here are the results:

•  67% say Oregon’s economy is “pretty seriously off on the wrong track” because of mountainous taxes, regulations and homelessness.
• Independents are the largest voting block and 73% believe the state is on the wrong track.
• Portland, of course, has been one of the epicenters of social justice since 2020. Massive protests and various government programs to provide equity. But people in the state say they now care more about jobs and the economy over this lefty fad by a margin of 62% to 15%.

The numbers don’t lie. Oregon was once a burgeoning tech hub but big employers like Intel have been cutting staff. Its unemployment rate is growing to 5%, the highest since COVID. The Wall Street Journal recently reported about the difficulty in leasing space in downtown Portland: the US Bancorp Tower, “once a premier address in the city, was afflicted with ‘vagrants sleeping in hallways of vacant office floors.’ “

As the Journal reported, the vagrants were “starting fires in stairwells, smoking fentanyl and defecating in common areas,” citing a so-called lease-termination lawsuit by a former tenant.

The building, with a 60% vacancy rate, was recently sold for $45 million. In 2015, it had fetched nearly $400 million.

Yes Oregonians (like New Yorkers) put the lefties in power, but now after living with all of the above, there is growing evidence that they’ve had enough.

It should provide a stark warning to the ruling Democratic Party: Go all in on socialism by supporting the extreme policies of Mamdani, and you will likely face a continued exodus from your states – and a revolt from those voters who stick around.