House Democrats ‘Literally Ran Away’ From Reporters Asking About Zohran Mamdani
Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, left, speaks on stage with fellow candidate Comptroller Brad Lander at his primary election party, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
The Democrats are divided after Zohran Mamdani’s shocking success in the New York City democratic mayoral primary on Tuesday, with some leaders of the party backing the proud socialist from Queens and others literally fleeing reporters seeking to question them about his campaign.
News of the running of the Dems comes courtesy of Punchbowl News, which reported that some members of Congress “literally ran away” from its reporters seeking answers on the election in which the 33-year-old state assemblyman trounced former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Mamdani’s media savvy and unapologetically progressive agenda garnered endorsements from fellow progressives Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) during the primary campaign, but support from most other Democrats has been lukewarm at best.
“In talking to some of my colleagues, they’re very concerned about it. I’m not going to lie,” Rep. Greg Meeks (D-N.Y.) told Punchbowl. “That concerns me also, because we need to be in the majority right now here. Our nation is at stake.”
Both Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) released statements in support of Mamdani – Jeffries even praised his economic message on MSNBC’s Morning Joe – but both stopped short of a full endorsement.
New York Representatives Pat Ryan, Josh Riley, Dan Goldman, and Ritchie Torres actively dodged reporters or shut down questions, Axios reported Thursday – while Reps. Laura Gillen and Tom Souzzi voiced direct opposition to his candidacy.
“He is absolutely the wrong choice for New York,” Gillen’s statement read. Souzzi, who endorsed Cuomo, cited “serious concerns” with Mamdani.
When asked by WNYC’s Brian Lehrer if she would be endorsing Mamdani, Sen Kirstin Gillibrand (D-NY) responded bluntly: “not today.” Gillibrand said in the interview on Thursday that she had called the assemblyman to both congratulate him and voice concerns about some of his policies and rhetoric – including his criticism of Israel – but said she intends to work with him “if he is elected.”
Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), who initially endorsed one of Mamdani’s opponents, former city comptroller Scott Stringer, gave an energetic endorsement of Mamdani to the New York Times, calling Tuesday’s upset a “seismic election for the Democratic Party that I can only compare to Barack Obama’s in 2008.”
Following his expected official nomination on July 1, Mamdani will face current New York City Mayor Eric Adams in the general election this November. Andrew Cuomo has not yet officially conceded the race but is no longer expected to run in the general as an independent.
