GOP uses NYC’s new socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani to attack Democrats

Republicans wasted no time in using the elected Democratic Socialist mayor Zahran Mamdani New York City as a political cudgel to crush Democrats.

As a 34-year-old state Rep New York City On his way to winning by nearly 9 points in Tuesday’s election in the nation’s most populous city, he immediately targeted the GOP.

“Democrats have officially handed New York City over to a self-proclaimed communist, and hardworking families will be the ones who pay the price,” Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Joe Gruters said in a statement. He added, “His election is evidence that the Democratic Party has abandoned common sense and associated itself with extremism.”

Since Democrat Mamdani won the mayoral primary in June, Republicans have repeatedly sought to make him the new face of the Democratic Party, while branding Democrats as far-left socialists.

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Zahran Mamdani delivers a victory speech at a municipal election night watch party, Tuesday, November 4, 2025, in New York City. (Yuki Iwamura/AP)

While Mamdani’s nine-point general election victory is a major boost to the socialist movement’s rise, it also appears to be the political gift that keeps on giving to Republicans.

Republicans in the House of RepresentativesMamdani, who aims to defend his fragile House majority in next year’s midterm elections, immediately linked Mamdani to Democrats who are likely to face tough reelection campaigns.

“The Democratic Party has surrendered to the radical socialist Zahran Mamdani and the far-left mob who are now running the show,” Republican National Committee spokesman Mike Marinella charged in Tuesday night.

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As Fox News Digital first reported Wednesday morning, the NRCC launched immediately Digital advertising He linked Mamdani to House Democrats who face re-election challenges in next year’s midterm elections, when the GOP aims to defend its fragile majority in the chamber.

The narrator stressed, “A far-left earthquake has just struck America. Epicenter: New York.”

“The new socialist Mayor Zahran Mamdani built his movement on defunding the police and abolishing ICE. And now the socialists are celebrating. They call it progress. We call it chaos. Bureaucrats instead of doctors. And social workers instead of cops,” the narrator argued.

“This is the future the House Democrats want, and your city could be next. Stop socialism. Stop the Democrats,” the narrator concluded under photos of Mamdani and House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York.

Socialist Zahran Mamdani has won the New York City mayoral race, defeating former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

Jeffries, the chamber’s top Democrat, endorsed Mamdani last week, nearly four months after Mamdani sent political shockwaves across the country with his convincing primary victory.

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“I am a Muslim. I am a democratic socialist, and most of all I refuse to apologize for any of this,” Mamdani said in his victory speech.

Democrats insist that the effort to tie up Mamdani is a distraction from Republicans’ inability to deal with the affordability issue.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee “Because of House Republicans, everything is too expensive and working families are struggling,” spokesman Viet Shelton said. “Republican activists in D.C. know they can’t win on these issues, so we’re seeing them crumble in real time, resorting to ineffective bogeyman attacks. It’s embarrassing.”

Mamdani defeated the previous governor. Andrew Cuomowho was running as an independent and two-time Republican New York mayoral candidate, Curtis Sliwa, in Tuesday’s election, making history as New York City’s first Muslim and first millennial mayor.

Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, center, speaks during a mayoral debate with independent candidate former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, left, and Democratic candidate Zahran Mamdani, on Thursday, October 16, 2025, in New York. (Angelina Katsanis/AP)

He has been harshly criticized by Republicans and some Democrats for his far-left proposals to eliminate ride fares on New York City’s massive bus system, make the City University of New York (CUNY) “tuition-exempt”, freeze municipal housing rents, provide “free child care” for children up to age 5 and establish government-run grocery stores.

Mamdani also came under political criticism during the campaign for his verbal attacks on Israel, his past critical comments about the New York City Police Department (NYPD), and his proposal to shift some responsibilities away from the NYPD and focus on social services and community programs.

Longtime Republican strategist Colin Reed told Fox News Digital that Democrats “will now have a bolder elected mayor than Madhani dominating the national spotlight.”

Rep. Mikie Sherrill, Democratic nominee for governor of New Jersey, celebrates her victory during an election night event in East Brunswick, New Jersey, on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. (Michael Nagel/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Democrats are skeptical of the GOP’s argument that Mamdani is the new face of their party, pointing to the governor’s landslide victories on Tuesday night by moderate Rep. Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey and former Rep. Abigail Spanberger in Virginia.

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Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin reiterated that Democrats are a “big tent party” and that from “New Jersey, Virginia and New York to Georgia and beyond, Democrats have run campaigns relentlessly focused on costs and affordability.”

Veteran Democratic strategist Joe Caiazzo stressed that the 2025 ballot box results “proved that the Democrats’ path back to the majority in both chambers and the White House runs directly through the idea of ​​building a tent big enough to include moderates and progressives.”