New York City’s incoming mayor, Zohran Mamdani, hasn’t taken office yet. But he’s already the new avatar of evil for conservative media figures.
He’s been called “downright sinister” and “incompatible with America.” His labels include commie, Marxist, jihadist sympathizer and “seething leftist.” Fox News’ Laura Ingraham warned her viewers not to be fooled by “smiling socialists who rule like Soviet tyrants.”
A New York Post post-election cover depicted Mamdani holding aloft the Soviet Union’s hammer and sickle symbol sold out on newsstands by noon and was offered on e-Bay for $75. Conservative outlets already see him joining Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Nancy Pelosi as a guaranteed source of outrage for their audiences. “He’s colorful, controversial and not afraid of a fight,” said Howard Polskin, publisher of the Righting, highlighting Mamdani's likely position as a media bogeyman leading into upcoming elections.
Rob Bluey from the Daily Signal remarked that unlike previous targets such as Nancy Pelosi, Mamdani’s appeal to working-class Americans who feel left behind positions him differently, echoing elements reminiscent of former President Trump’s rise. Mamdani’s victory speech, which hinted at ambitions to transform NYC, further intensified the narrative painted by conservative media, with critiques pouring in from various outlets questioning his credibility and political philosophy.
As he prepares to assume office, Mamdani is positioned as a flashpoint in the political discourse, illuminating the ongoing divide in American politics and media perception, which may have long-term implications for his administration and the Democratic Party as a whole.
