House Speaker Mike Johnson blasted socialist Democratic New York City mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani as “radical” and a “big-government Marxist” on Monday.
Johnson told the Daily Caller News Foundation in an exclusive statement that Mamdani’s agenda is “extreme” and “bad news for New York City.” The Louisiana Republican added that Mamdani’s political rise spells “great news for House Republicans” in the upcoming midterm elections.
“Democrats, who have learned nothing from their historic defeat in 2024, are rallying around a radical, Antisemitic, abolish-ICE [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement], defund-the-police, big-government Marxist,” Johnson told the DCNF. “Comrade Mamdani’s extreme views are bad news for New York City, but great news for House Republicans.”
“Come the 2026 midterms, voters will be reminded that while the Democrat Party falls further hostage to the radical Left, Republicans are delivering a common sense, America First agenda,” the speaker added.
Johnson’s comments come after Mamdani, a self-avowed socialist, officially clinched the Democratic nomination for New York City mayor on July 1.
While House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries praised Mamdani for running “a strong campaign that relentlessly focused on the economy and bringing down the high cost of living in New York City” in a June 25 post to X, he has notably yet to officially endorse Mamdani in the city’s mayoral race. Jeffries said on July 7 that he is planning to meet with Mamdani sometime during the week of July 14.
Mamdani has drawn criticism for repeatedly making anti-Israel statements, such as calling for people to boycott Cornell Tech on Roosevelt Island because of its ties to an Israel-based school, as the New York Post first reported. The New York state assemblyman has also previously failed to directly condemn the use of the controversial slogan “globalize the intifada,” which is widely regarded to be an antisemitic call to violence.
In May, Mamdani declined to back a New York State Assembly resolution to recognize Israel’s 77th anniversary, just months after he declined to sign a different resolution to condemn the Holocaust. Some Jewish Democrats in Congress have notably expressed concern over Mamdani’s shocking win in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, The Hill reported on July 9.
Additionally, Mamdani has promoted a far-left policy agenda, and has touted plans to implement several taxpayer-funded “free” initiatives such as “free” buses, “free” childcare and city-owned grocery stores — if he is elected New York City mayor. The Democratic state lawmaker has previously called for reducing the role of police in New York City, and has also referred to ICE as a “rogue agency.”
Mamdani has drawn sharp criticism from fellow Democratic lawmakers over his far-left views, including Democratic New York Reps. Laura Gillen and Tom Suozzi. Gillen represents a district which borders New York City while Suozzi’s district includes a portion of the city’s borough of Queens. Despite this, many Democrats view Mamdani as a rising star in politics and prospective future face of their party.
Mamdani’s campaign did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
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