Is New York City ready for a mayor whose party once floated the idea of tossing out penalties for all misdemeanor crimes?
The New York Post reported that Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old Queens assemblyman and Democratic nominee for mayor, finds himself in hot water over a radical 2021 platform from the national Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), an organization he’s proudly tied to.
The controversy stems from the national DSA’s 2021 stance to eliminate criminal repercussions for all misdemeanors, a position that sparked outrage over the weekend, while Mamdani’s campaign scrambles to clarify he doesn’t back such an extreme measure, highlighting differences between the national group and the local NYC chapter that endorsed him.
Let’s rewind to 2021, when the national DSA adopted this eyebrow-raising policy to ditch penalties for misdemeanors, a move that critics argue could turn city streets into a free-for-all.
Many New Yorkers, already jittery about crime, see this as a bridge too far. It’s no surprise the backlash hit hard and fast over the weekend.
Fast forward to June, when Mamdani pulled off a stunner by defeating Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic mayoral primary, a victory that left political jaws on the floor.
Cuomo, who resigned as governor in disgrace in 2021, isn’t done yet—he’s running as an independent in the November general election. Mamdani, meanwhile, remains the frontrunner in a crowded field.
That field includes current Mayor Eric Adams, also running as an independent for re-election, alongside Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and attorney Jim Walden.
Mamdani’s lead in the race doesn’t shield him from scrutiny over his DSA ties and past social media posts criticizing police. Those old tweets aren’t winning him any fans among law-and-order voters.
Speaking of the DSA, Mamdani’s been a key figure in the group, even serving as the keynote speaker at their 2023 convention. But when the national organization’s 2021 platform resurfaced, his campaign was quick to pivot on Tuesday, insisting he doesn’t support scrapping misdemeanor penalties.
That silence isn’t helping. When The Post sought comment for a story published on Saturday, Mamdani’s team didn’t respond, leaving voters to wonder just how far he’d go to distance himself from the DSA’s more radical edges. It’s a risky game to play in a city craving clarity on public safety.
Adding fuel to the fire, the local NYC chapter of the DSA, which backs Mamdani, reportedly supports policies distinct from the national group’s agenda.
But without specifics, it’s hard to know if that’s a meaningful difference or just political spin. New Yorkers deserve more than vague assurances on an issue this serious.
Then there’s the public’s take, and it’s not exactly a love letter to Mamdani’s track record. A recent poll by American Pulse Research & Polling revealed that nearly half of voters find his policies too extreme for comfort. That’s a tough hurdle for any frontrunner to clear.
Dig deeper into that poll, and the numbers get uglier—58.4% of respondents said Mamdani’s earlier support for defunding the police and dismantling an NYPD strategic response group makes them less likely to vote for him. In a city where crime stats often dominate headlines, that’s a political gut punch. It’s hard to imagine those figures not weighing on his campaign.
Critics have long pointed to Mamdani’s party affiliation as a red flag, especially given the DSA’s broader progressive agenda, which many see as anti-police.
Those old social media posts, penned years before his mayoral run, keep haunting him like a bad rerun. They’re a reminder of how past words can bite in a high-stakes race.
Still, let’s give credit where it’s due—Mamdani’s rise from Queens assemblyman to mayoral frontrunner shows grit and political savvy.
But grit won’t erase voter skepticism about whether his policies align with the city’s need for balance between reform and safety. The question lingers: can he convince the wary half of New York that he’s not the radical some fear?
For now, Mamdani’s campaign seems content to lean on the distinction between national and local DSA priorities, hoping that’ll be enough to calm the storm. But in a race this tight, with heavyweights like Adams and Cuomo in the mix, vague platitudes won’t cut it. Voters want specifics, not sidesteps.