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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ocasio-Cortez endorses Zohran Mamdani in NYC mayor's race
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Thursday endorsed socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani in the New York City mayoral race just days before early voting kicks off. 'Assemblymember Mamdani has demonstrated a real ability on the ground to put together a coalition of working-class New Yorkers that is strongest to lead the pack,' Ocasio-Cortez told The New York Times in an interview announcing her endorsement. 'In the final stretch of the race, we need to get very real about that.' The move is sure to buoy those on the left who have coalesced around Mamdani as the best progressive alternative to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), the current frontrunner to succeed Mayor Eric Adams (D), who is running for reelection as an independent. Cuomo is seeking a comeback after resigning from his job in 2021 as governor amid sexual harassment allegations. The race also comes as a battle plays out among Democrats over the future of the party following President Trump's victory in November, with Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) representing the progressive wing looking to push the party toward a more populist agenda. Ocasio-Cortez's endorsement comes less than 12 hours after Mamdani squared off with Cuomo and seven other candidates in a rowdy, often chaotic debate that saw no clear winner. Cuomo has maintained a strong lead in polls over the last several months, making him the candidate to beat. But Mamdani, a progressive State Assembly member endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, has surged into second place in recent weeks. A recent Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill survey had the former governor leading in the primary's first round of voting with 35 percent. Mamdani came in at second with 23 percent. Perhaps in a sign of his newfound momentum, Cuomo focused many of his attacks Wednesday night on the progressive, in multiple instances lambasting Mamdani for past criticism he made about former President Obama. Primary voters will head to the polls in person on June 24. Whoever emerges as the winner of the Democratic primary will be the clear favorite to lead the city. New York City employs a ranked-choice voting system, meaning primary voters will have the opportunity to rank up to five candidates by order of preference. When their top choices are eliminated, those votes are then dispersed to candidates they had ranked lower. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Ocasio-Cortez endorses Zohran Mamdani in NYC mayor's race
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Thursday endorsed socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani in the New York City mayoral race just days before early voting kicks off. 'Assemblymember Mamdani has demonstrated a real ability on the ground to put together a coalition of working-class New Yorkers that is strongest to lead the pack,' Ocasio-Cortez told The New York Times in an interview announcing her endorsement. 'In the final stretch of the race, we need to get very real about that.' The move is sure to buoy those on the left who have coalesced around Mamdani as the best progressive alternative to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), the current frontrunner to succeed Mayor Eric Adams (D), who is running for reelection as an independent. Cuomo is seeking a comeback after resigning from his job in 2021 as governor amid sexual harassment allegations. The race also comes as a battle plays out among Democrats over the future of the party following President Trump's victory in November, with Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) representing the progressive wing looking to push the party toward a more populist agenda. Ocasio-Cortez's endorsement comes less than 12 hours after Mamdani squared off with Cuomo and seven other candidates in a rowdy, often chaotic debate that saw no clear winner. Cuomo has maintained a strong lead in polls over the last several months, making him the candidate to beat. But Mamdani, a progressive State Assembly member endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, has surged into second place in recent weeks. A recent Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill survey had the former governor leading in the primary's first round of voting with 35 percent. Mamdani came in at second with 23 percent. Perhaps in a sign of his newfound momentum, Cuomo focused many of his attacks Wednesday night on the progressive, in multiple instances lambasting Mamdani for past criticism he made about former President Obama. Primary voters will head to the polls in person on June 24. Whoever emerges as the winner of the Democratic primary will be the clear favorite to lead the city. New York City employs a ranked-choice voting system, meaning primary voters will have the opportunity to rank up to five candidates by order of preference. When their top choices are eliminated, those votes are then dispersed to candidates they had ranked lower.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion - Stop loving public education like a five-year-old loves their mommy
Let's be honest: America needs to grow up when it comes to how we talk about public education. Too often — especially among Democrats — public education is loved the way a five-year-old loves their mommy: emotionally, unconditionally and without question. But love without accountability isn't justice — it's delusion. And our children are the ones paying the price. At the National Parents Union, we love public education too. But we love it enough to fight for its transformation. We're not here to protect systems — we're here to protect children. And right now, our public education system is failing millions of them. Reading scores are dismal. Students with disabilities are being warehoused instead of served. Families are being pushed out of decision-making. And while we're stuck defending outdated structures, political leaders are playing small — more interested in slogans than solutions. Now we're watching Democrats fight it out between two camps: the 'abundance' crowd, led by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, and the 'anti-oligarchy' tour featuring Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). And as someone who listens to parents every single day, let me be real with you: neither message is hitting the mark where it matters most. 'Abundance' sounds like a TED Talk from someone who's never had to ration their child's asthma medication. And it's tone deaf to the fact that right now we have a problem of too many underenrolled schools across the U.S. 'Anti-oligarchy' sounds like a graduate school seminar when families are just trying to afford groceries and keep the lights on. American families don't care what your brand of progressivism is called. They care if they can find a job that pays enough to cover rent. They care if they can get their kids into a decent school without having to move away to find one. They want their kids to be safe. They care if there's a doctor who takes their insurance, and if they'll be able to retire with dignity. This isn't rocket science. It's kitchen table politics. And if Democrats want to stop hemorrhaging support among working-class families, younger voters and communities of color, they need to go back to being the party that fights for the average American. That means leading with our shared values, not white papers. Talking with people — not at them. Understanding the fear, anxiety and anger that is driving society in this moment instead of dismissing it. Listening to what keeps families up at night, and building a vision that meets them where they are. And it also means getting serious about education — starting with rejecting the nonsense that's crept into the conversation. It's painful to watch Democrats setting themselves up for another round of pain and defeat because they are so completely tone-deaf to the majority of the American public on the issue of public school options. Let me say this clearly: you cannot be 'for equity,' 'for accountability,' 'for civil rights,' and also be for vouchers. You can't chase a bag of unregulated magic beans in one breath and claim to care about data and outcomes in the next. The research is clear: Vouchers fail to improve student achievement, especially for the most vulnerable kids. They divert public money into private institutions that can pick and choose which students they serve. They strip away accountability, offering little transparency and no guarantees. What's worse, vouchers erode public trust and weaken the foundation of public education while offering no scalable solution. And while Republicans champion this destruction, let's talk about the hypocrisy. Republicans are actively defunding the research infrastructure and discretionary grants that supported many of their own favored reforms — like charter school expansion and early literacy programs. They're burning down the very innovation system that made their ideas possible. This isn't about improving education — it's about dismantling it. But to watch Democrats continue the same tired, disconnected song and dance about public school options and charter schools — something that has overwhelming, bipartisan support — with 80 percent of American families being in support — I mean, you're just asking to continue losing elections. Americans want results. We want the basics done right. And we want leaders with the courage to stop playing political games and start telling the truth: We need literacy and high expectations for every child. We need federal leadership that ensures equity is more than a buzzword. And we need authentic, lived experience at the center of policy. So here's my message to policymakers: Start listening to the people who have been failed the longest. And start fighting for the kind of public education that is excellent, equitable and accountable. At the National Parents Union, we know what's at stake. We organize across lines — political, racial, economic — because every family deserves a fair shot at the American Dream. But we're also watching closely. Because while Democrats argue over branding and Republicans try to burn it all down, families are hanging on by a thread. We don't need another white paper. We need a movement — one that's noisy, passionate, unapologetically people-powered and laser-focused on what really matters. Keri Rodrigues is president of the National Parents Union. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
17-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Stop loving public education like a five-year-old loves their mommy
Let's be honest: America needs to grow up when it comes to how we talk about public education. Too often — especially among Democrats — public education is loved the way a five-year-old loves their mommy: emotionally, unconditionally and without question. But love without accountability isn't justice — it's delusion. And our children are the ones paying the price. At the National Parents Union, we love public education too. But we love it enough to fight for its transformation. We're not here to protect systems — we're here to protect children. And right now, our public education system is failing millions of them. Reading scores are dismal. Students with disabilities are being warehoused instead of served. Families are being pushed out of decision-making. And while we're stuck defending outdated structures, political leaders are playing small — more interested in slogans than solutions. Now we're watching Democrats fight it out between two camps: the 'abundance' crowd, led by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, and the 'anti-oligarchy' tour featuring Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). And as someone who listens to parents every single day, let me be real with you: neither message is hitting the mark where it matters most. 'Abundance' sounds like a TED Talk from someone who's never had to ration their child's asthma medication. And it's tone deaf to the fact that right now we have a problem of too many underenrolled schools across the U.S. 'Anti-oligarchy' sounds like a graduate school seminar when families are just trying to afford groceries and keep the lights on. American families don't care what your brand of progressivism is called. They care if they can find a job that pays enough to cover rent. They care if they can get their kids into a decent school without having to move away to find one. They want their kids to be safe. They care if there's a doctor who takes their insurance, and if they'll be able to retire with dignity. This isn't rocket science. It's kitchen table politics. And if Democrats want to stop hemorrhaging support among working-class families, younger voters and communities of color, they need to go back to being the party that fights for the average American. That means leading with our shared values, not white papers. Talking with people — not at them. Understanding the fear, anxiety and anger that is driving society in this moment instead of dismissing it. Listening to what keeps families up at night, and building a vision that meets them where they are. And it also means getting serious about education — starting with rejecting the nonsense that's crept into the conversation. It's painful to watch Democrats setting themselves up for another round of pain and defeat because they are so completely tone-deaf to the majority of the American public on the issue of public school options. Let me say this clearly: you cannot be 'for equity,' 'for accountability,' 'for civil rights,' and also be for vouchers. You can't chase a bag of unregulated magic beans in one breath and claim to care about data and outcomes in the next. The research is clear: Vouchers fail to improve student achievement, especially for the most vulnerable kids. They divert public money into private institutions that can pick and choose which students they serve. They strip away accountability, offering little transparency and no guarantees. What's worse, vouchers erode public trust and weaken the foundation of public education while offering no scalable solution. And while Republicans champion this destruction, let's talk about the hypocrisy. Republicans are actively defunding the research infrastructure and discretionary grants that supported many of their own favored reforms — like charter school expansion and early literacy programs. They're burning down the very innovation system that made their ideas possible. This isn't about improving education — it's about dismantling it. But to watch Democrats continue the same tired, disconnected song and dance about public school options and charter schools — something that has overwhelming, bipartisan support — with 80 percent of American families being in support — I mean, you're just asking to continue losing elections. Americans want results. We want the basics done right. And we want leaders with the courage to stop playing political games and start telling the truth: We need literacy and high expectations for every child. We need federal leadership that ensures equity is more than a buzzword. And we need authentic, lived experience at the center of policy. So here's my message to policymakers: Start listening to the people who have been failed the longest. And start fighting for the kind of public education that is excellent, equitable and accountable. At the National Parents Union, we know what's at stake. We organize across lines — political, racial, economic — because every family deserves a fair shot at the American Dream. But we're also watching closely. Because while Democrats argue over branding and Republicans try to burn it all down, families are hanging on by a thread. We don't need another white paper. We need a movement — one that's noisy, passionate, unapologetically people-powered and laser-focused on what really matters. Keri Rodrigues is president of the National Parents Union.
New York Post
14-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
James Carville warns Democrats far-left jargon like ‘equity' is turning voters off: ‘Just not helpful'
Veteran campaign strategist James Carville warned Democrats Tuesday that using far-left political jargon is alienating persuadable voters. Since before the election, Carville has struggled to wrench the Democratic Party away from the far-left identity politics that have turned away much of the electorate. On his 'Politics War Room' podcast, Carville explained how he would give candidates of today a 'message box,' showing key ideas to focus on to critique their opponents that will connect with voters, such as 'corruption' and 'safety and security.' He then proceeded to share a long list of words that the party should strike from their vocabulary, explaining how each one either bewilders or outright alienates voters. 'Don't use 'generational change,' because there are a lot of people that are older. Why do you want to limit the appeal of your message to younger people?' he warned. 'Believe me, generational change is coming whether you want it or not, I got news for ya.' He added, 'Don't use words like 'structural.' We're not attacking the structural issues in the world right now. We're trying to, like, stay alive to the next day.' 4 Carville recommended saying 'fat cats' instead of 'oligarchs' to connect with average voters. YouTube/Politicon Carville also warned against using 'equity,' saying to use 'equality' instead. 'People basically don't know what [equity] means. And if they do know what it means, it looks like you're trying to force an outcome.' He then appeared to call out politicians like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who are running a 'Fighting Oligarchy' tour. 4 Carville warned against using the word 'equity,' saying that most people do not know what it means. danielfela – 'This is another stupid word, 'Oligarch.' Who in the f–k knows what an oligarch is? As opposed to a very acceptable word I've talked about before is 'fat cats.' Everybody knows what a fat cat is, everybody talks about what a fat cat is.' Meanwhile, the word 'community,' Carville said, has just been tainted by politics. 'I wouldn't use the word 'community.' I don't have anything – nothing wrong with the word 'community.' Nothing wrong with being in a community. It's just such a Democratic word,' he said. 'I wouldn't even use the 'LBGQT+' or whatever it is. I just call people gay, or lesbian, or trans, or I don't know.' 4 Political commentator James Carville ahead of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, US, on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024. Bloomberg via Getty Images Carville argued that by using such terms, 'You're just trying to show people how smart you are. Don't use words like that. Don't use words like 'intersectionality.'' He shared a story about listening to an NPR panel during the pandemic as they spoke about intersectionality. 'I literally thought they were gonna go overboard in ecstasy on the radio,' he said. 'Okay, it's a real thing. No one uses the term 'intersectionality' except for NPR.' 4 Carville argued that the word 'community' has been tainted by politics. driftwood – Carville concluded that, in the vein of the adage, 'A mind is a terrible thing to waste,' 'A word is a terrible thing to waste.' 'You know Mark Twain famously said, 'The difference between the right word and a nearly right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug,'' Carville added. 'So when you hear your elected representatives, you hear Democrats or you hear sane people using words that are not the right word, let them know that that kind of language is not helpful. It doesn't mean you're a bad person, it's just not helpful, you're wasting an opportunity to break your case.' 'Be lightning, don't be a lightning bug,' he advised.
