Letitia James ‘Disappointed’ in Mamdani After Progressives Sweep NY Primaries: ‘All of Us Are a Little Frustrated’

Olga Fedorova/AP photo

New York Attorney General Letitia James is among the Democratic leaders “disappointed” in New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) after two candidates he backed knocked out two congressional incumbents on Tuesday.

Three progressive candidates backed by Mamdani won their primary races on Tuesday night. Brad Lander defeated Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) and Democratic socialist Darializa Avila Chevalier toppled Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY). The candidates backed by Mamdani have all been highly critical of Israel and their progressive politics have caused concern among some New York Democrats.

Some of those Democrats have chosen to express their frustrations anonymously, but James went on the record with CNN’s Edward-Isaac Dovere to express her disappointment in Mamdani, a candidate she backed during his mayoral run.

“Some of the candidates that he has supported are individuals who do not understand the politics of New York City, the cultural differences from district to district, who have not been part of the history and the struggle of some of these districts, and are relatively new to the body politic,” James, best known for overseeing a financial fraud case against President Donald Trump, said.

She said that she and other political leaders are “disappointed” in Mamdani.

The primary wins have been widely seen as a sign of the future direction of the Democratic Party, as well as the influence of Mamdani and democratic socialism more generally.

“We are showing that last June, a year ago tomorrow, was not an anomaly,” Mamdani said on Tuesday night. “It was not the end. It was the beginning.”

James said she and others are feeling “frustrated” with the current state of the Democratic Party, and she warned Democrats not to “blow up” the party like MAGA over internal disagreements.

“All of us are a little frustrated with the Democratic Party. But you don’t blow it up. That’s what MAGA has done,” she said.

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