Top NY Dems ‘freaking out' over ‘absolute insanity' of Mamdani taking over NYC, Mike Lawler says
Lawler (R-NY) said he believes reporting from journalist Mark Halperin that Jeffries (D-NY) quietly feels that if Mamdani becomes mayor, Democrats won't be able to take back control of the House.
'I think that's right,' Lawler told 'Fox & Friends' Wednesday when asked about Halperin's report. 'I think they are betwixt and between. You see Kathy Hochul, Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries freaking out about the prospects of having a Marxist lead the financial capital of the world.'
'They understand this is a disaster, not only for Democrats, but for the country.'
Halperin had claimed this week that 'Hakeem Jeffries strongly believes that if Mamdani wins, he [Jeffries] can't win the majority' and cited 'people who've spoken directly with the leader.'
3 House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has refrained from endorsing Zohran Mamdani.
AP
3 Rep. Mike Lawler announced Wednesday that he won't run for governor.
CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Spokespeople for Jeffries have called that report 'patently false.'
So far, Jeffries has declined to endorse Mamdani, who once compared the minority leader to notorious segregationist George Wallace and questioned his progressive bona fides.
The two Democrats met in person last week and Jeffries plans to have another confab with Mamdani after he returns from his marriage celebration in Uganda.
Lawler, who announced Wednesday that he will vie for his swing seat again in 2026 rather than challenge Gov. Kathy Hochul, gloated over the predicament mainstream Democrats face.
'This is absolute insanity to have somebody who says that he wants to seize the means of production, that he wants to ban private property ownership, that he wants to freeze the rent, that he wants free bussing and mass transit, and he wants government-run grocery stores,' he said of Mamdani.
'They understand this is a disaster in the suburban districts like mine that determine the outcome of control of Congress, and that's why they haven't yet endorsed him. But at the same token, they can't run too far away from him.'
3 Zohran Mamdani's shock victory has rocked the Democratic Party in New York.
Getty Images
Jeffries has been crusading to flip control of the House, where Republicans have a threadbare 219 to 212-seat majority.
Historically, the party in control of the White House loses a chunk of House seats during the midterms. This has been the trend in every midterm election since 1938, with two main exceptions: 1998 and 2002.
Republicans are hoping that other factors, such as Mamdani, could change that dynamic. Mamdani is the clear favorite to become mayor of the Big Apple, but he still must win a general election, though some polls show a tightening race.
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New York Post
5 minutes ago
- New York Post
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CBS News
6 minutes ago
- CBS News
Transcript: Sen. Chris Van Hollen on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," July 27, 2025
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VAN HOLLEN: To my knowledge, they have, although we've asked for the details, we haven't gotten them. In fact, just today, I'm sending a letter to Secretary Rubio, signed with 20 of my colleagues, calling for more information, but also calling for defunding this. American taxpayers should not be spending one penny to fund this private organization backed by mercenaries and by the IDF that has become a death trap. Over 1000 people have died from being shot and killed as starving people crowd to try to get food at just these four sites. MARGARET BRENNAN: The- just to be clear here, the State Department says they're going to send $30 million. Reuters had reported that there were documents they obtained showing 7 million had already been sent to these, what you call, armed mercenaries. But the Trump administration says this is the best way, this is the only way, to keep money- to keep food out of the hands of Hamas, which financially benefits off reselling it to desperate starving people. 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The real goal of this other effort is to use food as a weapon of war and population control. MARGARET BRENNAN: That's a violation of international law. SEN. VAN HOLLEN: Yes, it is. MARGARET BRENNAN: That's a human rights abuse. Senator Lindsey Graham was on "Meet the Press" this morning, and I want to ask for your reaction to something he said, because he was very strong in his words. He said, because the ceasefire talks fell apart, Israel is reassessing. He said to expect a full military effort by Israel to take Gaza down, quote, "like we did in Tokyo and Berlin. They're going to do in Gaza what we did in Tokyo and Berlin, take the place by force, start over again, present a better future." The United States is a huge supporter of the State of Israel. Is there anything that could prevent what he says is about to happen? SEN. VAN HOLLEN: Well, the United States should make very clear that it's unacceptable to use U.S. weapons to target or indiscriminately fire on civilians and civilian infrastructure. So-- MARGARET BRENNAN: Because this sounds like an occupation. SEN. VAN HOLLEN: Well, we also know, just this week, members of the Netanyahu coalition, in fact, government ministers, called for essentially erasing Gaza, and they said, it will become a Jewish state, statelet. And part of- so- this was one of the-- MARGARET BRENNAN: Netanyahu did say he didn't agree with his statement. SEN. VAN HOLLEN: Well, here's the problem though, Margaret, we continually see that Netanyahu, at the end of the day, does cater to his most far right wing of his- of his government, people like Ben Gvir, people like Smotrich. That is what has allowed him to stay in power, and so at the end of the day, he takes the most extreme positions. MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Van Hollen, thank you for your time today. We'll be right back with a lot more "Face the Nation." Stay with us.
New York Post
35 minutes ago
- New York Post
Trump's Aug. 1 tariff deadline is set in stone, Lutnik says: ‘No extensions, no more grace periods'
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