Zohran Mamdani is a 33-year-old state lawmaker from Queens. He wants to be the next mayor of New York City. A Democratic Socialist and state lawmaker, he won the Democratic primary on June 24.
He edged out a crowded field of 11 candidates with 43% of first-choice votes, beating even former Governor Andrew Cuomo. Ranked-choice results are due by July 1, but it looks like Democrats just swung hard to the left.
NY’s next mayor is a radical Muslim socialist from Africa who only got citizenship 7 years ago…
New York is fcked pic.twitter.com/CjcbUKVlSF
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) June 25, 2025
On paper, his story checks a lot of boxes: immigrant background, fresh face, ambitious ideas.
Read the fine print, however, and you’ll see why more than a few conservatives are eyeing the exits.
Born in Uganda, Mamdani became a U.S. citizen just seven years ago. In that short time, he’s gone from naturalization ceremony to City Hall hopeful rather quickly.
That kind of rapid rise would be impressive in most fields. In politics, however, it can be unsettling, especially when paired with an ideology rooted in socialism, resentment of the wealthy, and a sharp skepticism toward police and traditional American allies.
Mamdani is no quiet bureaucrat. He’s loud, proud, and deeply political. He’s been backed by the furthest-left wing of the party, including Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
His platform reads like a socialist’s Christmas list: free bus rides, rent freezes, universal childcare, city-run grocery stores, and cuts to police budgets in favor of social services. In other words, a kind of NYC utopia – as long as you’re not the one footing the bill.
We already know how this ends. History shows us time and time again.
Free stuff is never free. Somebody pays.
Mamdani wants new taxes on the wealthy and large businesses. That money won’t just sit around waiting to be taxed. High earners and job creators have options, and they’ve left before. Push too hard, and they’ll do it again.
Even Democrats have noticed. Governor Hochul warned his tax hikes would drive people to “Palm Beach.”
When your own team says your math doesn’t add up, it might be time to revisit the budget.
Then there’s his stance on law enforcement.
A recent Manhattan Institute poll found over half of city residents want more police, not fewer, yet Mamdani continues to champion an agenda rooted in “defund” logic.
That might please activists, but it ignores what ordinary people want: safer streets, quicker emergency response, and fewer headlines about subway chaos.
Mamdani has clashed with police in public more than once.
A recent video shows him getting into it with officers – again. His defenders call it activism, but most would call it disrespect.
When it comes to foreign policy, Mamdani is also way out in left field.
He’s refused to honor Israel’s founding. He’s backed movements that isolate America’s allies. He’s used language more at home in anti-West rallies than in a City Council chamber.
Is foreign policy a mayor’s job? Not usually, but values matter. Mamdani’s rhetoric is one more reason many New Yorkers feel uneasy.
His supporters say he’s a fresh voice; a millennial, Muslim, South Asian socialist who reflects the city’s future. Maybe. But not every future is worth rushing into.
He became a U.S. citizen in 2018. Seven years later, he’s one step from leading America’s largest city.
No one’s saying you have to be born here to lead, but it helps to have lived here long enough to truly know what you’re leading.
Seven years of citizenship is not a disqualifier, but it’s hardly deep roots.
America isn’t just a place. It’s built on a set of values, and Mamdani seems determined to test every one of them.
Mamdani’s rise says a lot about where the Democratic Party is heading. The old-school, blue-collar liberal has been replaced by the activist-intellectual who sees capitalism as the problem and socialism as the cure.
New York has seen this movie before. High taxes, empty storefronts, unchecked protests, and slogans in place of strategy. The city can’t afford another round.
Curtis Sliwa offers an alternative. He’s running on the basics: law enforcement, clean streets, and an economy that works. With Eric Adams splitting the center-left, Sliwa could ride a united conservative vote straight to City Hall.
A recent poll showed that while Cuomo could have pulled 45% in a general election, Mamdani is hovering closer to 33%. That’s good news for conservatives, who see a rare opportunity to take back a city long controlled by Democrats.
So, is Mamdani a threat? That depends on your definition. He’s not dangerous in the way criminals are, but bad ideas can damage cities just as surely as crime can.
New York deserves better than another experiment. It needs leadership grounded in reality, not fantasy.
If voters want more empty promises and fiscal gymnastics, Mamdani is their guy.
If they want safety, sanity, and solvency?
Time to look elsewhere.
Come November, New Yorkers won’t just choose a mayor; they’ll choose a direction the city moves forward with.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
