Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he would place a 100% tariff on any New Yorker moving to Texas to escape from socialist Zohran Mamdani being elected mayor.
The Republican governor issued the threat on the eve of New York City’s mayoral election Tuesday, in which Mr. Mamdani is the clear front-runner.
Mr. Abbott’s promise, quip or not, has limited legal truth to it, as state governors are not permitted to levy taxes on imports from other states, let alone people.
The tariff threat — seemingly a nod to President Trump’s aggressive tariff policies — was Mr. Abbott’s response to an expected exodus of people from New York should Mr. Mamdani win.
Mr. Mamdani’s campaign promises include raising taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers, a rent freeze, city-run grocery stores, free city buses and free childcare.
He has been criticized for his comments against law enforcement and for calling the Israel-Hamas war a genocide.
Mr. Mamdani triumphed over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary in June. He faces Mr. Cuomo, who’s running as an independent this time around, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.
President Trump called Mr. Mamdani a “communist” who would be “the worst mayor in history.” On the eve of the election, Mr. Trump endorsed Mr. Cuomo as the lesser of two evils in the race.
If elected, Mr. Mamdani would be the city’s first Muslim mayor and one of its youngest in generations at 34 years old.
He would also be the first Indian American mayor. His parents are Indian, and he was born in Uganda.
Mr. Sliwa has resisted pressure to drop out to help unite the anti-Mamdani vote behind Mr. Cuomo. Mr. Sliwa, a talk radio host and founder of the crime prevention group Guardian Angels, has never held elected office. He lost to Mayor Eric Adams in the 2021 mayoral election.
Many Republicans have endorsed Mr. Cuomo, who resigned as governor in 2021 because of sexual harassment allegations.
“I would much rather see a Democrat, who has had a Record of Success, WIN, than a Communist with no experience and a Record of COMPLETE AND TOTAL FAILURE,” Mr. Trump posted to Truth Social Monday.
The president, a native New Yorker, threatened to hold back federal funds to the city if the Democratic candidate won.
“If Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the Election for Mayor of New York City, it is highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required, to my beloved first home,” Mr. Trump said.
Polls in New York are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
