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As the federal government shutdown stretches over a month, one left-wing determine has emerged as Home Republicans’ most-cited political boogeyman — and it’s not both of the highest two Democrats in Congress.
As a substitute, it’s Zohran Mamdani, a New York State assemblyman and self-proclaimed democratic socialist who’s working for mayor greater than 200 miles away in New York Metropolis.
“You’ve seen their social gathering get pulled additional to the socialist left, and it began when [Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.] beat Joe Crowley. And ever since then, Democrats have been afraid of that sort of rising wing of their social gathering,” Home Majority Chief Steve Scalise, R-La., advised Fox Information Digital when requested why GOP leaders are invoking Mamdani so typically.
“At the moment, they’re the middle of the Democrat Get together. They’re working the Democrat Get together, and you may see it, Mamdani is the one which they’re all fearful of they usually’re all listening to.”
HARRIS OFFERS TIMID ENDORSEMENT OF MAMDANI, QUICKLY PIVOTS TO OTHER ‘STAR’ DEMOCRATS
Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani participates within the second New York Metropolis mayoral debate with former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa in Queens, Oct. 22, 2025. (Hiroko Masuike/Pool/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
He pointed to Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and his current endorsement of Mamdani.
“It’s modified how they run their entire social gathering operation, as a result of they’re afraid of the left base of the social gathering, which is de facto headed by Mamdani now,” Scalise stated.
Home GOP leaders or audio system at their each day shutdown press conferences introduced up Mamdani each immediately and not directly at each one in all their press conferences final week.
CLINTON CAMPAIGN ALUM URGES JEFFRIES, SCHUMER NOT TO ‘TAKE THE BAIT,’ GET ‘BULLIED’ INTO MAMDANI ENDORSEMENT
Speaker Mike Johnson after his press convention on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Oct. 28, 2025. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photograph)
At his Thursday press convention, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., accused the media of criticizing his frequent commentary on the New York Metropolis socialist.
“Amazingly, the media is criticizing Republicans for fixating on Mamdani. I learn a few of that yesterday. This socialist rebellion is one thing that we now have a accountability to name out and sound the alarms. That is what elected representatives of the persons are imagined to do,” Johnson stated.
“And we take that accountability severely. And clearly, Mamdani is a giant concern right here within the halls of Congress. Why? As a result of the second-highest ranked Democrat within the nation, Chief Jeffries, endorsed him.”
Republicans have additionally taken to calling him “commie Mamdani” just lately, a nickname debuted by Home Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., throughout a shutdown press convention the place Home GOP leaders invited Republicans in New York’s congressional delegation to talk.
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Zohran Mamdani and Curtis Sliwa take part within the second New York Metropolis mayoral debate at LaGuardia Neighborhood Faculty, Oct. 22, 2025. (Hiroko Masuike/Pool/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
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Mamdani himself criticized Johnson at one level for his concentrate on him earlier this month.
“Speaker Johnson must be seating members of Congress, versus utilizing his time to try to assault our marketing campaign,” Mamdani fired again from Manhattan on Monday.
“However I perceive if I used to be one of many leaders of the Republican Get together that had led a marketing campaign that promised People a decrease price of residing and cheaper groceries, and all I may ship for them was a authorities shutdown, then I, too, could be trying to distract in any means that I may from these lack of outcomes.”
