Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani is making life difficult for Democrats all over the U.S., but none more so than his fellow New Yorkers, who lead the party in Congress.
Despite Mr. Mamdani’s double-digit victory in the June Democratic primary, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have conspicuously withheld their endorsements, underscoring the deepening divide within their party.
Mayor Eric Adams’ decision to end his reelection campaign only made their indecisiveness more glaring, as the race is essentially down to a contest between Mr. Mamdani and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat running as an independent.
And the pressure is mounting for Mr. Schumer and Mr. Jeffries to pick sides.
It’s a tough choice between Mr. Mamdani’s socialist-style proposals and pro-Palestinian rhetoric that has alienated Jewish voters, and the scandal-scarred Mr. Cuomo, whom Mr. Schumer and Mr. Jeffries helped force out of the executive mansion four years ago amid a storm of sexual harassment and misconduct allegations.
“It’s a clear example of the division within the Democratic Party,” said Mark Brockway, a Syracuse University political science professor. “It’s a textbook example of that, you know, between the Bernie Sanders-Mamdani crowd and the more establishment crowd that’s really hesitant of crossing that line into socialism or into a more left-leaning kind of ideology on policy as represented by Mamdani.”
Mr. Mamdani has seized the moment to redefine the race, casting it as a battle between his liberal, grassroots coalition of young voters and an outdated political establishment represented by Mr. Cuomo, President Trump and the billionaire elite.
“Donald Trump and his billionaire donors may be able to determine the actions of Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo, but they will not dictate the results of this election,” Mr. Mamdani said on MSNBC shortly after Mr. Adams left the race.
“I have no doubt [Mr. Cuomo] will see an influx of donations from Donald Trump donors … but I continue to be confident that New Yorkers see through that,” he said. “They understand that this is a democracy, it is not something to be bought by an oligarchy.”
Mr. Trump also chimed in following Mr. Adams’ exit, threatening to withhold federal funding from New York City if Mr. Mamdani wins the Nov. 5 election.
“Self proclaimed New York City Communist, Zohran Mamdani, who is running for Mayor, will prove to be one of the best things to ever happen to our great Republican Party,” Mr. Trump said Monday on Truth Social. “He is going to have problems with Washington like no Mayor in the history of our once great City.
“Remember, he needs the money from me, as President, in order to fulfill all of his FAKE Communist promises. He won’t be getting any of it, so what’s the point of voting for him? This ideology has failed, always, for thousands of years. It will fail again, and that’s guaranteed!”
Mr. Mamdani has consistently led in the polls, though Mr. Cuomo is more competitive in a head-to-head matchup with him.
Mr. Mamdani’s agenda includes free city buses, free child care, rent freezes, city-run grocery stores, and higher taxes on corporations and the wealthiest 1%.
Mr. Brockway said the reluctance of party leaders to endorse Mr. Mamdani underscores how effective Mr. Trump and Republicans have been in painting Democrats as radical leftists.
“Because there’s this image of the Democratic Party as super leftist, and Schumer and others see this as a real liability, they are paralyzed by this,” he said.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul bucked the stigma and endorsed Mr. Mamdani on Sept. 14, citing his willingness to fight back against the Trump administration.
“We’ve had our disagreements. But in our conversations, I heard a leader who shares my commitment to a New York where children can grow up safe in their neighborhoods and where opportunity is within reach for every family. I heard a leader who is focused on making New York City affordable — a goal I enthusiastically support,” Ms. Hochul wrote in a New York Times op-ed.
For Mr. Schumer and Mr. Jeffries, the most prominent fallback option is Mr. Cuomo.
Mr. Adams was never a viable option, dogged by lingering concerns over his cooperation with Mr. Trump on immigration and the Trump Justice Department’s decision not to pursue corruption and bribery charges against him during the Biden administration.
Curtis Sliwa, the outspoken Republican known for his signature red beret, has never been seriously considered.
Mr. Schumer and Mr. Jeffries are still undecided, leaving the door open for Republicans to weigh in on their conundrum.
“Staying on the sidelines when your party’s candidate is an avowed anti-Semitic, Communist, defund-the-police, globalize-the-intifada radical is an act of pathetic cowardice,” New York Republican Party spokesman David Laska said. “Schumer and Jeffries’ inability to call out this dangerous extremism tells you all you need to know about today’s Democratic Party.”
Mr. Adams’ exit also triggered calls for Mr. Sliwa to follow suit, clearing the way for a faceoff between Mr. Mamdani and Mr. Cuomo, who is thought to be more in line with traditional elements of the party, including Jewish voters.
That was evident Monday when Mr. Cuomo heralded the endorsement he received from the Crown Heights United PAC, a Jewish group.
In his farewell campaign video, Mr. Adams also signaled to his supporters thinking on the race by taking a swipe at Mr. Mamdani, warning of rising political “extremism.”
“Major change is welcome and necessary, but beware of those who claim the answer to destroy the very system we built together over generations,” Mr. Adams said. “That is not change. That is chaos.”
