NY Dem Reps. Tom Suozzi, Laura Gillen distance themselves from lefty NYC mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani: ‘We're not socialists'
Democrats in New York's battleground suburbs are distancing themselves from New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani and his lefty socialist policies.
Long Island members of Congress appeared particularly concerned about Republicans attempting to link them to Mamdani — the Democratic candidate for mayor — in the 2026 midterm elections.
'We are not socialists,' Rep. Laura Gillen, who represents Nassau County's 4th District, said in an interview Wednesday night on News Nation.
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3 Long Island Democrats are separating themselves from mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.
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'[Mamdani] ran a campaign based on a bunch of promises — free everything — without any real economic plan to pay for it., other than raising taxes,' she said.
Rep. Tom Suozzi, who endorsed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary and previously backed Mayor Eric Adams, said in a terse statement that he also was not on board with Mamdani, a Queens assemblyman.
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'I had serious concerns about Assemblyman Mamdani before [the primary], and that is one of the reasons I endorsed his opponent. Those concerns remain,' Suozzi said in a statement.
Gillen opposed Mamdani's plan to raise taxes on the top 1% city earners and on businesses to generate $9 billion for his proposals.
The congresswoman slammed the plan as impractical because it requires the approval of the governor and the state legislature — and argued hiking taxes would do more harm than good.
'New York City is the economic engine that drives our state and we need to make sure New York City thrives,' Gillen said.
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'Zohran Mamdani's socialist, defund the police platform is wrong for New York City,' she added.
Both Gillen and Suozzi won tight races in their House elections last year.
Their statements came as the National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee was doing cartwheels about having a potential Democratic Socialists of America-affiliated mayor — hoping to use it to use against Dems in battleground districts where socialism is unpopular, or to exploit divisions within the Democratic Party on Mamdani.
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3 Rep. Laura Gillen told News Nation, 'We are not socialists,' in a Wednesday night interview with the network.
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'Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen's insubordination is further proof that Democrats have no plan, no message, and no leader,' said NRCC spokeswoman Maureen O'Toole.
'Will [House Minority Leader] Hakeem Jeffries let them walk all over him, or will Suozzi and Gillen face consequences for defying their boss?'
Jeffries congratulated Mamdani on his victory, as did Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Both New York Democrats said they would meet with them, but stopped short of an endorsement.
Meanwhile, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a pro-Israel Democrat, slammed Mamdani for not condemning the phrase 'globalize the intifada.'
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Gillibrand said she called Mamdani to congratulate him after he bested Cuomo in Tuesday's primary, but raised issues of concern, and did not endorse him as the Democratic nominee.
'I vote in Albany,' the Democratic senator said.
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During a WNYC interview on Thursday, Gillibrand said she expressed concerns directly to Mamdani about his statements regarding Israel and pubic safety.
3 Rep. Tom Suozzi is also against Mamdani, having endorsed ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo for mayor of New York City.
Ron Sachs – CNP for NY Post
She declined to discuss specifics until a caller later asked her about Mamdani's anti-Israel position, and then she went off on his refusal to condemn the 'globalize the intifada' rallying cry.
'New York constituents I talked to are alarmed. They are alarmed by past public statements. They are alarmed about past public positions, referring to global jihad,' Gillibrand told the caller and host Brian Lehrer.
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'This is a very serious issue because people who glorify the slaughter of Jews create fear in our communities,' she said.
'The global intifada is a statement that means destroy Israel and kill all the Jews.'
Gillibrand said Mamdani assured her he would protect Jews and all residents of New York City, if elected.
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President Trump, for his part, wasted no time making Mamdani a bogeyman for the Republican Party, calling him a '100% communist lunatic.'
'We've had Radical Lefties before, but this is getting a little ridiculous,' he wrote Wednesday on TruthSocial.
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