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The Hill
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Mamdani's victory brings concerns, and lessons, for Democrats
If a key takeaway from the 2024 election was that the Democratic Party needs to move closer to the center on economic and social issues, last week's elections in New York City make clear that Democrats haven't learned their lesson. Indeed, 33-year-old State Assembly member Zohran Mamdani's upset win over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo suggests that Democrats, rather than rediscovering their roots, continue moving further to the left. Moreover, while progressives and Democratic Socialists will rejoice at Mamdani's likely victory in the general election, moderate Democrats are uneasy, reflecting a party polarized between its moderate and progressive wings, unsure of which direction it wants to go in. To be clear, there is no denying that Mamdani's high-octane campaign should be a roadmap for Democrats. He tapped into deep underlying frustrations with the cost of living and energized young people who typically are less reliable voters. Further, he connected with voters in a way that Democratic party leaders largely failed to do in the last election. However, one can believe that Democrats should absorb the lessons of how to run an energetic, upbeat campaign while also being alarmed at the direction Democrats appear to be heading in. Mamdani ran on a platform with ideas so nonsensical that they managed to unite the editorial boards of the New York Times and New York Post in condemnation of his inability to lead a city as large as New York. In that vein, there are four fundamental concerns with Mamdani, and one additional lesson Democrats should internalize. The first concern is Mamdani's self-professed socialism and extreme ideas. Polling in the months that followed the 2024 election made clear that even Democratic voters want their party to move toward the center, not further to the left. A considerable plurality (45 percent) of Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents said they want their party to be more moderate, versus 29 percent who say the party should be more liberal, per Gallup polling. Compared to the same poll conducted in 2021, the share of Democratic voters wanting the party to move towards the center has increased by 11 points, while the share wanting the party to be more liberal has dropped by 5 points. Republicans will try to portray Mamdani's far-left policies of free public transit, defunding the police and opening city-owned grocery stores — which even the Soviet Union eventually realized was a bad idea — as representative of the entire Democratic Party. In fact, President Trump and Vice President JD Vance have already begun doing so. Trump blasted Democrats for selecting a '100 percent Communist Lunatic' and Vance offered tongue-in-cheek congratulations to Mamdani as the 'new leader of the Democratic Party,' additionally calling him an 'antisemitic socialist radical.' Second, as the New York Times noted, Mamdani is simply not qualified to run New York City. Aside from his far-left ideas, inexperience, and age, his attacks on capitalism, in what real estate executive Scott Rechler called 'the capital of capitalism,' and his plans to drastically ramp up taxes are bound to decimate the city's economy. In that same vein, the third concern is whether or not Mamdani will stand up to President Trump on certain issues. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who is significantly more experienced and qualified, has done well in this regard, but even Newsom sometimes fails to navigate his relationship with the White House. Will Mamdani, who has no experience, do better? Or, more likely, will he find himself clashing with both Trump and his own governor, Kathy Hochul (D), who has already come out in opposition to Mamdani's tax policies, a cornerstone of his campaign. Assuming Mamdani wins the general election, which he is favored to do, one final concern emerges. That is, how will Mamdani govern? If his tenure mirrors that of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, another socialist who ran a very similar campaign, it may do more than damage New York City; it may also tar Democrats. Mamdani would be sworn in next January, 10 months before the 2026 midterms. And the peak of his tenure would be during the 2028 Presidential election. If Mamdani has a similar approval rating to Johnson, just 26 percent in recent polling, at that time, Republicans will benefit. For their part, elected Democrats have expressed a range of reactions, ranging from lukewarm support to outright rejection. Party leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) congratulated Mamdani but, importantly, stopped short of offering him a full-throated endorsement. More of New York's centrist Democrats, such as Reps. Laura Gillen, Tom Suozzi and Josh Gottheimer, all distanced themselves from Mamdani, with Gillen saying that Mamdani has 'a deeply disturbing pattern of unacceptable antisemitic comments.' And Larry Summers, Treasury secretary under former President Bill Clinton, wrote that he was 'profoundly alarmed about the future' of a party which elected 'a candidate who failed to disavow a 'globalize the intifada' slogan and advocated Trotskyite economic policies.' To be sure, despite these concerns, there is one very real takeaway for Democrats, especially as the party decides its future direction. Mamdani won because he ran a high-energy campaign that excited voters with its enthusiasm. At a time when voters on both the political right and left are fed up with the establishment candidates, Mamdani tapped into something very real. Likewise, the problems Mamdani campaigned on, primarily affordability, are legitimate concerns, even if his solutions are misguided. Voters have been telling candidates on both sides that the high cost of living is a top concern, yet very little has been done about it. With that in mind, it is critical that Democrats choose candidates and run campaigns that provide real solutions — not extreme ideas like Mamdani's, which are not grounded in reality. Consider the three issues that propelled Trump to victory in November: cost of living, crime and public safety, as well as immigration. On the first two, Mamdani has promised extremely high taxes that suffocate businesses to fund massive public spending projects and (at least in the past) to defund the NYPD. This is significantly further to the left than former President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, whose ideas voters rejected last November. And on immigration, if Mamdani doubles down on New York City's sanctuary city laws, it will reinforce the idea that Democrats care more about migrants — even violent criminals — than American citizens. Put another way, Democrats need candidates who connect with voters, speak to the issues they genuinely care about — not in platitudes, but with actual solutions — and run campaigns that generate enthusiasm. Ultimately, the Democratic Party finds itself at a crossroads, polarized between its moderate and progressive wings, which have vastly different ideas for the future. It is imperative that Democrats find their footing and decide which way the party will go. It is our hope that the moderate wing prevails and the Democratic Party returns to its roots, rather than continuing further to the left. New York City is in no way representative of most of America, and it's hard to see how, if candidates like Mamdani become the national face of the party, Democrats will emerge from the political wilderness anytime soon. Douglas E. Schoen and Carly Cooperman are pollsters and partners with the public opinion company Schoen Cooperman Research based in New York. They are co-authors of the book, 'America: Unite or Die.'
New York Post
6 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Best of the Babylon Bee: Obama distraught as Trump bombs nuke factory he paid for
Every week, The Post will bring you our picks of the best one-liners and stories from satirical site the Babylon Bee to take the edge off Hump Day. Want more of a chuckle? Be sure to click the links. Advertisement A staff member at Obama's Martha's Vineyard estate confirmed that the former president was upset by Iran's failure to carry out mass death and destruction. READ MORE Advertisement The bright orange ball in the sky appeared late Sunday morning and stayed in the sky for a few hours, causing the deaths of millions of residents of Great Britain. READ MORE The limited edition MS-13 bobblehead features a Latinx cis-male with face tattoos and a penchant for vandalism. READ MORE Advertisement Speculation persisted that Texas Republicans were merely tired of their Democrat-leaning capital city and wanted it nuked from orbit so they could move the state's capital to San Antonio. READ MORE
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Republican group lays out plan to gain ground in 2 key Dem-leaning states in 2025 elections
FIRST ON FOX: The first election cycle of President Donald Trump's second term poses an opportunity for the GOP to make electoral inroads in two Democrat-leaning states, a Republican campaign group said in a memo being released Tuesday. The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) announced Tuesday that Republicans will take an offensive posture in the lead-up to the November elections in the Democrat-leaning states of Virginia and New Jersey. The group hopes to take the lessons learned from Democrat gains seen following Trump's first electoral victory in 2016 to create a more winning strategy for the first election cycle of Trump's second term. "While the 2025 races in Virginia and New Jersey will be challenging, we have the opportunity – and strategy – to avoid a 2017 relapse," RSLC President Edith Jorge-Tuñón wrote in a memo released Tuesday outlining the group's strategy for the states. "We have learned from our past experiences and are ready to fight smarter. With the right resources, we can break through Democrat strongholds, make strides in key districts, and disrupt the Left's plan to gain unchecked momentum heading into 2026." These Are The 2025 Elections To Watch As Trump Returns To White House New Jersey and Virginia will be seeing several important statewide elections later this year, including elections for governor and several races for various key House seats that could prove pivotal for the balance of power in these states. Both states will also see local races this year for major school districts, such as Virginia's Loudoun County, as well as some races for municipal government employees, such as Jersey City mayor and Richmond City commonwealth attorney. Read On The Fox News App Gop Lawmakers Demand Loudoun County Schools Investigate Alleged 'Attacks' Against Parents The RSLC strategy says that in both Virginia and New Jersey, Republicans plan to focus on Democrats' legislative shortcomings on issues such as taxes, crime and education through digital ad campaigns, as opposed to focusing on defending the Trump administration's actions. "Riding the momentum of the 2016 presidential win, Republicans in 2017 were caught off guard as Democrats successfully nationalized local races, linking GOP candidates to federal dysfunction," the group's strategy memo stated. "With President Trump returning to the White House, Democrats are licking their chops and not being shy about it. They are confident that his comeback will bolster their efforts to change the power dynamics, positioning 2025 as a pivotal moment for a significant political realignment. It's up to us to prove them wrong." The RSLC said it also intends to continue to push robust absentee ballot and early voting initiatives in Virginia and New Jersey as part of its strategy for 2025 in these states. The RSLC said it plans on reaching out to "low-propensity Republican voters," noting this strategy helped Republicans in Virginia prevent Democrats from increasing their legislative majorities in 2023. Liberal Wins First Major 2025 Statewide Battleground Election In Race Turned Into Trump-musk Referendum A nearly $1 million absentee and mail-in ballot initiative was launched by the RSLC in New Jersey last year, which the group said helped boost GOP engagement in a state that political experts have said is inching its way toward becoming a swing state. This effort, along with other initiatives in New Jersey, like targeted digital advertising, has helped Republicans establish "a strong foundation for competitive performance" in key battleground areas in the state, the RSLC said. The group said it is hoping to build on this in 2025, particularly in New Jersey House Districts 3, 8, 11 and 30. "The RSLC enters the 2025 election cycle with a clear understanding of the challenges ahead. Gaining ground in Virginia and New Jersey will be difficult, but Republicans are far better positioned than we were in 2017," the RSLC strategy memo said in its concluding remarks. "Republican State Leadership Committee and its affiliated PACs are making substantial investments in both states—not just to maintain our positions but to prevent Democrats from gaining the momentum they will need to pose a serious challenge in 2026. Every seat we contest and every message we communicate this year is significant. The effort to avoid a repeat of 2017-2018 has already begun—with a smarter, more prepared Republican Party ready to succeed in 2025 and beyond."Original article source: Republican group lays out plan to gain ground in 2 key Dem-leaning states in 2025 elections
Fox News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Republican group lays out plan to gain ground in 2 key Dem-leaning states in 2025 elections
FIRST ON FOX: The first election cycle of President Donald Trump's second term poses an opportunity for the GOP to make electoral inroads in two Democrat-leaning states, a Republican campaign group said in a memo being released Tuesday. The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) announced Tuesday that Republicans will take an offensive posture in the lead-up to the November elections in the Democrat-leaning states of Virginia and New Jersey. The group hopes to take the lessons learned from Democrat gains seen following Trump's first electoral victory in 2016 to create a more winning strategy for the first election cycle of Trump's second term. "While the 2025 races in Virginia and New Jersey will be challenging, we have the opportunity – and strategy – to avoid a 2017 relapse," RSLC President Edith Jorge-Tuñón wrote in a memo released Tuesday outlining the group's strategy for the states. "We have learned from our past experiences and are ready to fight smarter. With the right resources, we can break through Democrat strongholds, make strides in key districts, and disrupt the Left's plan to gain unchecked momentum heading into 2026." New Jersey and Virginia will be seeing several important statewide elections later this year, including elections for governor and several races for various key House seats that could prove pivotal for the balance of power in these states. Both states will also see local races this year for major school districts, such as Virginia's Loudoun County, as well as some races for municipal government employees, such as Jersey City mayor and Richmond City commonwealth attorney. The RSLC strategy says that in both Virginia and New Jersey, Republicans plan to focus on Democrats' legislative shortcomings on issues such as taxes, crime and education through digital ad campaigns, as opposed to focusing on defending the Trump administration's actions. "Riding the momentum of the 2016 presidential win, Republicans in 2017 were caught off guard as Democrats successfully nationalized local races, linking GOP candidates to federal dysfunction," the group's strategy memo stated. "With President Trump returning to the White House, Democrats are licking their chops and not being shy about it. They are confident that his comeback will bolster their efforts to change the power dynamics, positioning 2025 as a pivotal moment for a significant political realignment. It's up to us to prove them wrong." The RSLC said it also intends to continue to push robust absentee ballot and early voting initiatives in Virginia and New Jersey as part of its strategy for 2025 in these states. The RSLC said it plans on reaching out to "low-propensity Republican voters," noting this strategy helped Republicans in Virginia prevent Democrats from increasing their legislative majorities in 2023. A nearly $1 million absentee and mail-in ballot initiative was launched by the RSLC in New Jersey last year, which the group said helped boost GOP engagement in a state that political experts have said is inching its way toward becoming a swing state. This effort, along with other initiatives in New Jersey, like targeted digital advertising, has helped Republicans establish "a strong foundation for competitive performance" in key battleground areas in the state, the RSLC said. The group said it is hoping to build on this in 2025, particularly in New Jersey House Districts 3, 8, 11 and 30. "The RSLC enters the 2025 election cycle with a clear understanding of the challenges ahead. Gaining ground in Virginia and New Jersey will be difficult, but Republicans are far better positioned than we were in 2017," the RSLC strategy memo said in its concluding remarks. "Republican State Leadership Committee and its affiliated PACs are making substantial investments in both states—not just to maintain our positions but to prevent Democrats from gaining the momentum they will need to pose a serious challenge in 2026. Every seat we contest and every message we communicate this year is significant. The effort to avoid a repeat of 2017-2018 has already begun—with a smarter, more prepared Republican Party ready to succeed in 2025 and beyond."
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
JD Vance's brother advances to Cincinnati mayoral general election despite winning just 13% of the primary vote
Cory Bowman, Vice President JD Vance's half-brother, has advanced to November's general election in the Cincinnati, Ohio, mayoral race, despite picking up just 13 percent of the vote in Tuesday's non-partisan primary. Bowman, 36, running as a Republican, finished second in the three-way contest, a long way behind Democratic incumbent Aftab Pureval, 42, who scored 82.5 percent of the vote, but ahead of fellow Republican Brian Frank, 66, who picked up just 4.6 percent. The result means that Frank is eliminated, setting up a two-horse race between Pureval and Bowman on November 4. Left to right: Incumbent Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval and Republican challengers Cory Bowman and Brian Frank (Carolyn Kaster/AP) Cincinnati is a heavily Democrat-leaning city, so much so that Republicans have not fielded a candidate in its mayoral elections since future congressman Brad Wenstrup lost to incumbent Mark Mallory in 2009. That sentiment was reflected in last year's presidential race, when Kamala Harris picked up 76 percent of the vote to Donald Trump's 24 percent, an outcome at odds with the national picture. All nine of Cincinnati City Council's current members are likewise Democrats. Bowman, however, believes he can buck the trend and offer something different 'because people deserve a choice.' A pastor at the evangelical River Church in the city's West End, Bowman also owns the Kings Arms Coffee Shop in its College Hill neighborhood. He has never previously held public office but has said he was inspired by attending Trump and Vance's inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in January. 'As I was flying back here from the inauguration, it occurred to me that I could do something to serve the community,' he has said. Bowman shares a father with Vance, although they have different mothers. The future VP reportedly spent time on the Bowman farm in Preble County during his youth, and the younger brother describes their relationship as a 'friendly sibling rivalry.' Vance himself has not campaigned on his relative's behalf but did send a message of support on X this week, describing Bowman as 'a good guy with a heart for serving his community... Get out there and vote for him.' Cincinnati mayoral candidate and River Church pastor Cory Bowman, who is Vice President JD Vance's half brother, preaches during Easter worship on Sunday April 20 in Cincinnati, Ohio (AP) Reacting to his showing in Tuesday's primary, Bowman said: 'What I will say is that it looks like [Pureval] had a good head start, but we're kind of catching up a little bit... So once I see the numbers there, I'll know what our mission, our focus needs to be going into November.' Pureval responded to his commanding win by thanking his supporters and saying the city remains 'on the right path.' 'Based on the early returns, I'm incredibly grateful for the citizens of Cincinnati giving us an opportunity,' he said. 'Hopefully, it makes a positive statement. I'm not sure I can read anything into it other than the people think the city is on the right path.' However, he also warned against complacency among citizens, noting the worrying low turnout, which saw just 10 percent of eligible voters turn up to cast their ballots. 'Given the chaos and uncertainty from the federal government, now is the time for voters to be engaged and exercising their voice,' the mayor said. 'That is also on me. I've got to do a better job of making government relevant to people and making sure they see themselves in their local government.'
