Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani takes the stage at his primary election party Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in New York City. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
For Democrats, it's more complicated.
Mamdani shocked the political world, topping former three-term Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the rest of the 11-candidate field in the Democratic mayoral primary. Cuomo, who resigned from office in 2021 amid multiple scandals, was aiming for a political comeback.
WHAT MAMDANI'S STUNNING PRIMARY VICTORY MEANS FOR DEMOCRATS NATIONWIDE
Once a longshot, Mamdani closed the gap with frontrunner Cuomo during the final stretch of the primary race thanks to an energetic campaign that focused in great part on New York City's high cost of living.
Endorsements from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive rock star and New York City's most prominent leader on the left, and by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the progressive champion and two-time Democratic presidential runner-up nominee, helped Mamdani consolidate support on the left.
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in a speech to supporters, acknowledged that rival Zohran Mamdani had won the New York City Democratic Party mayoral primary June 24, 2025, in New York, N.Y. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)
Matt Bennett, executive vice president for the moderate Democrat-aligned group the Third Way, acknowledged that Mamdani "focused on affordability," which he said is "great."
Bennett added Mamdani is "young, charismatic, a great communicator. All that is great. We want to see that."
But Bennett told Fox News "the problem is he has the wrong prescription."
On the primary campaign trail, Mamdani proposed eliminating fares to ride New York City's vast bus system, making City University of New York "tuition-free," freezing rents on municipal housing, offering "free childcare" for children up to age 5 and setting up government-run grocery stores.
And in a CNN interview Thursday night, he said, "I have many critiques of capitalism. … There must be a better distribution of wealth for all of God’s children in this country."
Bennett noted that "Republicans are already weaponizing" Mamdani's primary victory to take aim "against other Democrats."
Veteran Republican strategist Colin Reed told Fox News Mamdani's win is "a messaging nightmare that's going to unfold in real time from now until the midterms."
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But Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz of Florida doesn't think what happened in heavily blue New York City will resonate in crucial swing districts, like his seat.
"I think the idea that you can extrapolate what happened there and roll that out to 49 other states, to the suburbs, the politics are very different," Moskowitz told reporters on Capitol Hill this week.
And Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi of New York, who represents a suburban swing district that also includes a sliver of New York City, took to social media to say he "had serious concerns about Assemblyman Mamdani" before the primary.
"Those concerns remain," Suozzi said.
Fox News' Deirdre Heavey contributed to this report.
Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in the swing state of New Hampshire. He covers the campaign trail from coast to coast."
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mamdanis-political-earthquake-rocks-democrats-dividing-party-path-forward