New York Republicans warn of 'disaster' if 'dangerous' Zohran Mamdani wins mayoral race
Republicans in the Empire State's congressional delegation are arguing that presumptive Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani would be a "disaster" for New York City if elected.
"My mother fled communist Cuba to not live in a communist New York," Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., told Fox News Digital. "We need to defeat him because he's very dangerous to the future of the city – both from an economic standpoint [and] a public safety standpoint."
Malliotakis is the only Republican representing part of New York City in the House.
She also ran for mayor herself in 2017, but lost to progressive ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio – who also ran a short-lived and relatively unpopular 2020 presidential campaign.
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Now, however, Republicans are seeing potential for their own party to grow in the largely Democratic stronghold – if the self-proclaimed democratic socialist continues to be as divisive for voters as he has been since hitting the national political stage.
"No question – I mean, he will make Bill de Blasio look competent," Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., who is considering a potential gubernatorial bid in New York, told Fox News Digital when asked if Mamdani would boost Republicans.
Lawler called on his fellow New Yorkers in the House Democratic Caucus to publicly declare where they stand on Mamdani.
"Frankly, for Democrats, this is a time for choosing. Do they align themselves with a radical socialist who engages in antisemitism, hates the police, believes that illegal immigrants should have free everything, and you know, is basically going to destroy the finances of New York City?" Lawler posed. "They can't have it both ways."
It is a question Democrats have been wrestling with.
Two moderates, Reps. Laura Gillen, D-N.Y., and Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., released public statements about their concerns. Gillen called Mamdani "too extreme" to lead the city. Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., told reporters "not right now" when asked if he had thoughts on Mamdani on Wednesday.
Democrats' highest-ranking congressional officials, however – both hailing from Brooklyn – expressed tacit support for the mayoral hopeful.
"He ran an impressive campaign that connected with New Yorkers about affordability, fairness, & opportunity," Schumer said.
Long Island Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., said, "Yes, but nobody should wish that," when asked by Fox News Digital whether a Mamdani victory would help Republicans.
"I mean, even if it gives us two or three more points on Election Day, nobody should want the policies that come with a Zohran administration," LaLota said. "You look at some of his legislative agenda — legalizing prostitution, the city giving out needles to drug addicts, and some other things that suburban voters are fully against."
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Mamdani's campaign platform includes freezing rent prices for rent-controlled apartments, creating city-owned and operated grocery stores, and eliminating fares for city bus rides.
A progressive questionnaire from 2022 shows that while running for the state assembly, he endorsed legalizing sex work and passing legislation "to limit local police cooperation and information sharing with federal immigration authorities, and prohibiting local police from assisting in deportation enforcement."
De Blasio, for his part, told "Fox News @ Night" on Wednesday that he believes concerns about Mamdani are overblown.
"These are not staggering ideas. If he wants to tax the wealthy, he has to get the approval of the legislature. They may or may not give it," he said. "I just think there’s a lot of exaggeration here. And we’re not going to see people leaving in droves."
Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani's campaign for comment. Fox News Digital also reached out to de Blasio for comment via his website.