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Throw Mamdani From the Train

Pressure is mounting on Democratic leaders to suck it up and endorse Zohran Mamdani, even as the consultant class frets that he’ll hurt their candidates in the midterms. Of course, Republicans are gearing up to make the mayoral candidate the face of ’26 either way.

Zohran Mamdani
Mamdani is likely to win the mayoralty regardless of whether Schumer, Jeffries, or Hochul endorse him—and Republicans will be more than happy to make him the face of the party. Photo: Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images
Abby Livingston
September 8, 2025

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Last week, in between posts about Epstein and R.F.K., the Democratic National Committee did something that wouldn’t be all that unusual in normal times: It approvingly tweeted out a 32-second clip of the party’s nominee for New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani. The audio itself was exceedingly anodyne, featuring Mamdani, wearing his trademark navy suit, telling I’ve Had It podcast hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan, “We welcome anyone to join this movement.” But on X, the response was explosive. Soon after, Fox News blasted out a news story with the gleeful headline, “D.N.C. again embraces Mamdani despite communist rhetoric, refusal to denounce globalize the intifada.”