Zohran Mamdani’s surprise victory over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary has raised questions about the party’s political direction.
Mark Penn, former pollster and advisor to President Bill Clinton and CEO of Stagwell Inc., issued a warning to the left following Mamdani’s primary upset.
"This is a 9-1-1 moment for the Democratic Party," Penn said on "America's Newsroom" Wednesday. "He’s [Mamdani] an anti-Semitic socialist."
Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assemblyman from Queens and self-identified Democratic socialist, beat former Gov. Andrew Cuomo last month. His platform includes eliminating transit fares, providing free municipal housing and childcare, and ending ICE operations in the city — proposals that Penn and others have labeled as extreme.
New York mayoral candidate, State Rep. Zohran Mamdani (D-NY) speaks to supporters during an election night gathering at The Greats of Craft LIC on June 24, 2025 in the Long Island City neighborhood of the Queens borough in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
"He is perhaps the most extreme major candidate ever to win such a major office," Penn said, going on to call out Mamdani for refusing to denounce the slogan "globalize the intifada," a phrase widely understood to carry anti-Jewish undertones.
Several top New York Democrats have not yet endorsed Mamdani, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Governor Kathy Hochul. While Hochul has recently defended Mamdani from criticism by President Donald Trump, she hasn’t formally endorsed him.
Penn argued that Mamdani's campaign has successfully positioned itself as a battle against Trump, a strategy he says could distract voters from looking closer at the candidate’s policies.
"It’s absolutely essential here that this not become Mamdani versus Trump," Penn said. "That’s his strategy."
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While Trump gained ground in New York during the last presidential election, increasing his vote share to nearly 44%, Vice President Kamala Harris still carried the state with over 56%. Penn warns that making the narrative about the president could cause Democrats not to fully grasp what Mamdani’s policies mean for the city.
"The other Democratic candidates have to come in here and say, ‘No, this is about the future of the city and how we save it and how we reduce crime,’" he said, also noting that candidates need to focus on making Jewish New Yorkers feel safe and bringing business back to the five boroughs.
Mamdani’s campaign has drawn significant enthusiasm from younger, progressive voters. But Penn believes many voters may not fully grasp the implications of Mamdani’s agenda.
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"People really didn't know the full extent of his views on socialism and antisemitism," Penn said. "I think if there's real focus on that, he could be beaten."
As the official Democratic nominee, Mamdani will face Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams this November in the general election, as well as his defeated opponent Andrew Cuomo, who's chosen to remain on the ballot as an Independent.