The Democratic establishment is officially in crisis mode after Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist with a history of anti-Israel rhetoric and anti-police activism, crushed former Governor Andrew Cuomo in New York City’s mayoral primary.
Why it matters: National Democrats — still reeling from their 2024 losses — are sounding the alarm that Mamdani’s victory could further fracture their party, alienate moderates, and hand political ammunition to Republicans ahead of 2026 and 2028.
Axios reports that while the party’s progressive wing sees Mamdani as a rising star, the old guard is quietly — and not so quietly — in full-blown panic. As one Democrat insider put it:
“This was very much Pickett’s Charge of what’s left of the old establishment… It was the same result.”
Top Democrats are already distancing themselves from the new face of their party:
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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries — both New Yorkers — refused to endorse Mamdani after the win.
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Rep. Laura Gillen (D-NY) didn’t mince words, calling Mamdani the “absolute wrong choice for New York.”
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Rep. Tom Suozzi said he had “serious concerns.”
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Other Democrats — including Reps. Pat Ryan, Josh Riley, and Ritchie Torres — dodged reporters outright.
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Even Rep. Dan Goldman shrugged off questions, saying only: “Not right now.”
Behind the scenes, Axios reports, major Democratic donors who dumped millions into Cuomo’s Super PAC are now considering a desperate Plan B: backing an independent run by Cuomo or even supporting incumbent Mayor Eric Adams — once considered politically dead — just to stop Mamdani in November.
So who is Zohran Mamdani?
A three-term assemblyman and proud member of the Democratic Socialists of America, Mamdani rose to political prominence with radical left-wing stances. He has:
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Called to defund the NYPD, tweeting: “The NYPD is racist, anti-queer & a major threat to public safety… #DefundTheNYPD.”
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Accused Israel of apartheid, calling Gaza an “occupation” and criticizing Israel’s response after the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack.
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Dodged questions on whether Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish state — a critical issue for NYC’s large Jewish population.
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Said the State Assembly is a ‘bastion of Zionist thought’ and that the Palestinian cause is what inspired his activism.
Rep. Gillen didn’t hold back, calling out Mamdani’s “deeply disturbing pattern of unacceptable antisemitic comments.”
Democratic leaders hoped Mamdani’s past would disqualify him. Instead, it mobilized the far-left. His campaign, filled with slick social media videos and catchy slogans like “freeze the rent” and “free the buses,” connected with young, urban voters disillusioned with establishment politics.
“Zohran’s razor-sharp messaging on affordability sliced through millions of dollars of tired attacks,” said Julian Mulvey, one of Mamdani’s ad consultants.
“The establishment is going to try to outspend us again, but they will fail colossally.”
The real question now isn’t just how Mamdani won — but who’s behind him.
