Democratic leaders and big donors are in full panic mode after Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist, shocked everyone by winning the Democratic nomination for New York City mayor.
Many establishment Democrats, still recovering from tough losses in 2024, fear Mamdani could damage the party’s image nationwide. Meanwhile, young progressives see his win as proof that their ideas can break through.
Most top Democrats backed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the primary. Mamdani’s surprising victory Tuesday exposed how out of touch party leaders are with many voters.
On Wednesday, Democratic lawmakers either criticized Mamdani or stayed silent instead of supporting him. Republicans, including former President Trump, mocked Democrats for choosing a socialist who calls to cut police funding and supports Palestinians in the Gaza conflict.
Even the two biggest Democratic leaders in Congress — Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, both from New York — praised Mamdani’s win but stopped short of endorsing him.
Rep. Laura Gillen from Nassau County called Mamdani the “absolute wrong choice for New York.”
Rep. Tom Suozzi, also from Nassau County, said he had “serious concerns.”
Other New York Democrats who hadn’t backed Mamdani stayed quiet or avoided questions.
Big Democratic donors who spent millions supporting Cuomo are now debating whether to back an independent Cuomo run in November or side with unpopular Mayor Eric Adams, who is also running independently.
Some Democrats see Mamdani as a fresh, bold voice in a party full of aging, disconnected leaders. His strong progressive stance speaks to voters angry at the political elite ignoring their struggles.
His focus on affordability in one of the world’s most expensive cities struck a chord far beyond just activists, according to election results.
But others view Mamdani, a state Assembly member with a history of controversial statements on Israel and policing, as a political disaster for Democrats. The party’s national success depends on appealing to moderate voters, and Mamdani’s views risk alienating them.
Some New York Democrats say establishment leaders made a huge mistake backing Cuomo, who had baggage and ran a cautious campaign.
“The full-on freakout by the establishment is entirely predictable — they do no introspection or soul searching, and instead just lash out,” said Lis Smith, a longtime Democratic strategist who once worked for Cuomo but now criticizes him.
“This is an outcome of their own creation. If you don’t want to lose to a socialist, don’t run a fatally flawed candidate like Andrew Cuomo.”
Big Democratic names like former President Clinton, Michael Bloomberg, and Rep. Jim Clyburn backed Cuomo late in the race. Mamdani won support from progressives such as Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Mamdani has called to defund the New York Police Department several times, though he softened his message during the campaign. In June 2020, he posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“We don’t need an investigation to know that the NYPD is racist, anti-queer & a major threat to public safety. What we need is to #DefundTheNYPD.”
He dodged questions about whether Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish state — a key issue for many Jewish voters in New York City.
After Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks, Mamdani criticized Israel’s response in Gaza but didn’t mention Hamas. He said: “A just and lasting peace can only begin by ending the occupation and dismantling apartheid.”
He also said Palestinians’ cause inspired his activism and called the New York State Assembly a “bastion of Zionist thought.”
Though Mamdani condemned antisemitism, some Democrats remain unconvinced.
Rep. Gillen accused him of a “deeply disturbing pattern of unacceptable antisemitic comments.”
Many party leaders thought Mamdani’s past comments would stop him from winning the primary. They were wrong.
Younger voters in New York sympathize more with Palestinians than Israelis in the current war.
Most Democrats no longer openly call to defund the police, but many want serious police reforms.
State Assemblyman Robert Carroll said: “Mamdani won because he defined the key issue of the campaign — affordability and how it affects quality of life — and offered solutions like freezing the rent on rent stabilized apartments, providing better city services and universal childcare.”
A New York City Democratic strategist compared the establishment’s defeat to a doomed Civil War attack: “This was very much Pickett’s Charge of what’s left of the old establishment. It was the same result.”
Mamdani’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment.
