Thesurprising victory of Zohran Mamdani intheNewYorkCitymayoral Democratic primary has sent shock waves throughoutthepolitical punditry world.Mamdani, a 33-year old socialist with a shocking record of defending antisemitism, not only defeated his well-funded, high-name recognition opponent, Andrew Cuomo, he trounced him.Inwhatshould now be a cakewalk to victory inthegeneral election (given NYC voter registration reality),thenations largestcitywill have electedthemost radical, far left, explicitly socialist candidate in American history to such a high-profile office.Post-election commentary containstheexpected narrative: Mamdani was young and energetic, Cuomo was old and boring; Mamdani spoke towhatvoters care about, Cuomo failed to connect; social media is authentic, Super PACs reflect corporate corruption.There are nuggets of truth in all of this, andwhatever itmeansfortheDemocratic Party is not that important to this center-right conservative.WhatI believe is important isthemessageforthecenter right in this country, especially those of us who believe in movement conservatism: This iswhatwe will getnationally if we do not repudiate right-wing populism.LIZ PEEK: NEW YORK'S SOCIALIST NIGHTMARE IS JUST BEGINNING BUT THERE'S STILL A WAY OUTMamdani ran in promising toforce Halal chicken and rice to sellfor$8 instead of $10. He promised to make public transportation free.He wantsthecityto run a chain of grocery stores.He wants free universal childcare. He wants a freeze on rents going higher.He wants a $30/hour minimum wage.He promised to raise taxes on corporations and wealthy earners in Manhattan (under-taxed asthey are, apparently).It was a brutally honest campaign he ran a fever swamp campaign of left-wing populist delusions. And it worked.Thereason I say this is a warningfortheright is not becausetheright isfightingthese arguments and failing to prevail; it is becausethemodern moment of right-wing populism is essentiallyborrowingfromthese arguments, but with less magnitude andforce, and finding outthehard way that state power and grotesque economic interventions will always be done with more drama bytheleft thantheright.DAVID MARCUS: DEMOCRAT BUS HEADING OFF THE CLIFF, AS NYC SOCIALISTS HIT GAS PEDALOur worldview has been compromised by a school of thought that state power is a good thing, that merely havingtheright enemies is enough to legitimize government overreach, and that two can play atthegame of messianic promises when it comes totheeconomy.Wage controls, price controls, and soak-the-rich class warfare verifiably failed policiesforreasons conservatives could historically explain are now standard fare inthe"newright" playbook.They havetheir appeal as various constituencies in American life who believe the country is not workingforthem seek out "popular" solutionsforwhatailsthem.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONThetraditional views of limited government, individual responsibility, strong families, churches and communities, and a robust defense of free enterprise are considered obsolete; anewfocus on making promises that cannot be kept behind governmental power and coercion is deemedthe"newnormal."Andtheresult is Zohran Mamdani. Right-wing populism is never going to stop with merely anti-woke populist figures.Oncethebargain has been made oncetheconcession is granted that, yes,thegovernment ought to bethekey arbiter in economic life theleft-wing populists are going to wintheday.Historys lessons onthefailures ofthese draconian policies are irrelevant. "Thepeople wanted a King." And oncetheright decidestheir job is to outdotheleft with nanny-like promises ofwhatthegovernment can do "forthepeople," we are well on our way downtheslippery slope.And that slippery slope will not stop with a Zohran Mamdani intheNYCmayoral mansion.It could very well end with an AOC or Mamdani intheWhite House.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM DAVID BAHNSEN