Zohran Mamdani as New York mayoral candidate for Democratic Party only helps Donald Trump in midterm elections, feel worried Democrats
Will Zohran Mamdani as New York mayoral candidate rejuvenate the Democrats or the candidature prove costly for the Democratic Party and boost President Donald Trump and Republican party in midterm elections?
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New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's stunning victory over former Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo in Tuesday's primary election has some party figures worried that his democratic socialism could feed Republican attacks on Democrats as too far left ahead of next year's midterm elections. Business leaders have also expressed concern about his policies. Mamdani defended his democratic socialism on Sunday and argued that his focus on economic issues should serve as a model for the party, even though some top Democrats have been reluctant to embrace him, as per a report.Democrats have struggled to find a coherent message after their resounding loss in the November elections that saw President Donald Trump return to the White House and his Republicans win control of both chambers of Congress. A Reuters/Ipsos poll earlier this month showed that a majority of American Democrats believed their party needs new leadership and to be more focused on economic issues.Earlier on Sunday, Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who represents part of the city, told ABC's "This Week" that he wasn't ready to endorse Mamdani yet, saying that he needed to hear more about Mamdani's vision. Other prominent New York Democrats, including New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have also thus far declined to endorse Mamdani.Mamdani voiced no concern that Jeffries and other Democrats have not yet endorsed his candidacy. "I think that people are catching up to this election," he said. "What we're showing is that by putting working people first, by returning to the roots of the Democratic Party, we actually have a path out of this moment where we're facing authoritarianism in Washington, D.C."Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, elected as a Democrat, is running as an independent in November's election after Trump's Justice Department dropped corruption charges against him, fueling accusations of a quid pro quo that he has denied. The Republican nominee is Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels, and lawyer Jim Walden is also running as an independent. Cuomo has not yet decided whether to remain in the race as an independent.Mamdani's criticism of Israel's war in Gaza has set him apart from many mainstream Democrats and prompted allegations of antisemitism, which he has fiercely denied. Earlier this month, during an appearance on the political podcast The Bulwark, Mamdani declined to condemn the pro-Palestinian phrase "globalize the intifada," which some Jews view as antisemitic and a call to violence.Jeffries told ABC that Mamdani needed to "clarify his position" on the phrase to reassure Jewish New Yorkers. Pressed again on Sunday, Mamdani said it was "not language that I use" but again did not condemn it. He said he did not want to determine for others what words are permissible or impermissible, arguing that Trump has done that by targeting pro-Palestinian activists for their speech."We have to root out that bigotry, and ultimately we do that through the actions," he said.US President Donald Trump, himself a native New Yorker, told Fox News Channel's "Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo" that if Mamdani wins the mayoral race, "he'd better do the right thing" or Trump would withhold federal funds from the city. "He's a communist. I think it's very bad for New York," Trump said.Asked about Trump's claim that he is a communist, Mamdani told NBC it was not true and accused the president of attempting to distract from the fact that "I'm fighting for the very working people that he ran a campaign to empower that he has since then betrayed."A1. New York City mayoral candidate from Democratic Party is Zohran Mamdani.A2. Republican nominee is Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels, and lawyer Jim Walden is also running as an independent.
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India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Go back to Third World: US politician on Zohran Mamdani's eating with hands video
US Congressman Brandon Gill mocked Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani for eating rice and lentils with his hands in a now-viral video of Zohran Mamdani, Democratic primary winner for New York City mayor, eating with his hands during an interview has sparked debate online. While some users accused him of using cultural cues as part of a 'costume performance', others argued that criticising someone for their cultural habits is a post on X, Gill - the youngest Republican in the US Congress - criticised Mamdani for eating with his hands, referencing the viral clip originally shared by the account 'End Wokeness'. The video showed Mamdani eating a traditional meal of rice and lentils, accompanied by the caption: "Zohran says his worldview is inspired by the 3rd world while eating rice with his hands."Gill responded to the post, writing: 'Civilised people in America don't eat like this. If you refuse to adopt Western customs, go back to the Third World.'Take a look at the post here:Watch the video here:Zohran says his worldview is inspired by the 3rd world while eating rice with his hands End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) June 29, 2025The video has sparked debate online. Several users called out the comment as culturally ignorant and uncalled for, while a few others argued that eating with bare hands is isn't reserved only for the so-called 'civilised'. Show me where the Constitution says that. And since when is eating with your hands uncivilised?' a user asked. Another user added, 'You can't debate his politics, so you go after his culture. That says more about you than it does about him.'Several users pointed out the irony: 'How do you eat tacos, French fries, burgers, etc? Do you eat crisps with a fork too?''There are plenty of valid critiques of Mamdani if you're serious about politics. But no, you chose to pick on the way he eats. You must be great fun at pizza parties, with your knife, fork, and corn holders,' one of the users asked. While many came to Mamdani's defence, others accused him of performing cultural identity for clout. Sharing an old photo of Mamdani using a knife and fork, one user said, 'It's so funny that Zohran clearly uses cutlery to eat all the time (even a burrito on the subway), but he eats with his hands on camera as if it's a costume performance for white people to find him exotic.'Another user said, 'This performance is for those who romanticise every unpleasant custom in a foreign culture while mocking their own. Mamdani knows exactly how to pander. Well played.'advertisementSee the comments here: Mamdani, 33, is an Indian-American politician and the son of acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair. He made history this week by becoming the first Muslim nominee for the Democrats in the New York City mayoral race, after former Governor Andrew Cuomo for blending politics with pop culture, Mamdani has built significant online traction through his Bollywood-themed campaign Mamdani hasn't publicly reacted to the backlash yet. - EndsMust Watch
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Switching gears to personalities, Trump had glowing praise for Elon Musk, despite recent tensions. 'I haven't spoken to him much. But I think he's a wonderful guy and he's going to do well always. He's a smart guy,' Trump told Fox News. Referring to their disagreements over EV mandates, he told Fox News that Musk 'got a little bit upset and that wasn't appropriate.' 'I love his car, I love the electric… But not everybody should have that. And not everybody wants that.' The Trump-Musk spat flared in June when Musk publicly criticised Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill as reckless, prompting Trump to threaten government contracts with Musk's companies. Musk fired back on X, calling for fiscal responsibility, while Trump slammed Musk on Truth Social. On the other end, New York assemblyman Zohran Mamdani drew Trump's ire as a potential mayor of the city. 'He's a communist… I think he's very bad for New York… a radical left lunatic,' the president said. 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