Several leading national Democrats have endorsed Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani’s bid to become the next mayor of New York City.
“In these times, the Democratic Party needs to stick together with the maximum solidarity and focus,” Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), who has led the party’s efforts to oppose Trump, told the New York Times.
“Even though I’m not a New Yorker and have never been a New Yorker, I feel that Democrats must stand together to defend not only our party but our constitution and our country,” the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee continued.
“Mamdani’s politics have a Rooseveltian quality to them,” Raskin said, praising him as an “inspiring leader.”
“He really wants to rebuild an F.D.R. coalition that is fundamentally committed to the success of the working and middle classes in his city,” he added.
Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY) said his endorsement of Mamdani largely came from his disapproval of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whom Mamdani seeks to defeat during the mayoral race.
Ryan, who represents a swing congressional district just north of the Big Apple, said, “In this one, it was very, very crystal clear who’s for the people and who is for themselves. And if anybody had any doubt about that, Donald Trump’s maneuvering validated that Cuomo would sell his soul to the devil easily.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) has long made his support for Mamdani clear, joining the fellow socialist on the stump and co-hosting campaign events:
Raskin sees the relationship between progressives and more moderate as a partnership during elections.
He explained, “When moderates beat progressives, we want the progressives to support the moderates in the general election. And when progressives beat moderates in the primary, we want the moderates to support the progressives in the general election. I’m a true blue Democrat. I support Democrats across the political spectrum.”
Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on X @SeanMoran3.
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