Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Tuesday on Fox News’ “Hannity” that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will have no choice but to endorse Democrat New York mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, despite his self-described socialist stance, because he was elected by the party’s voters.
With Mamdani securing the Democrat mayoral primary in June, some Democrats have voiced support for the socialist nominee, while others have yet to offer official endorsements. Fox News host Sean Hannity asked Gingrich if Schumer is “petrified” of dealing with the “radical rise” in his party, as reports indicate his popularity among voters is slipping in favor of Democrat New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. (RELATED: Minneapolis Might Have Just Found Their Own Socialist Version Of Zohran Mamdani)
“No, I think that Schumer’s problem is that he’s both out of his time, 20 years behind the real world, and he looks it, and he feels it, and he’s not getting anything done. But in addition, Hakeem Jeffries’ problem is you do an eight hour and 40-minute filibuster as though you’re in the Senate. Nothing changes,” Gingrich said. “You tell a whole bunch of lies. Large parts of his speech was just not true. And what’s he going to do? They’re both going to meet with Mamdani.”
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“My prediction is they’re both going to endorse Mamdani. Now, at that point, the two top Washington leaders of the Democratic Party will have accepted a Marxist, socialist, radical left winger as the titular head of their party in a way that I think is going to put them into a tiny minority, maybe for a generation,” Gingrich added.
Following Mamdani’s win, concerns from both Republicans and Democrats quickly hit the media spotlight. Mamdani’s policy proposals — such as raising taxes on “richer and whiter” neighborhoods and his past refusal to denounce the phrase “globalize the intifada” — have been called into question by some lawmakers.
Despite concerns about the potential impact Mamdani could have on the city, former Democrat New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman praised him as the party’s future on June 28, claiming the term socialism has been “weaponized” into an “anti-American” slur.
But others in the party, like Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, have pushed back, saying Mamdani is not “even really a Democrat” and that he disagrees with “virtually” all of his platform politically.
“How do they avoid it? He won the Democratic primary,” Gingrich said. “He is their nominee.”
In June, Jeffries and Schumer released statements applauding Mamdani’s campaign after he secured the party’s nomination, both saying they planned to meet with him in the future.
Mamdani’s refusal to denounce the phrase “globalize the intifada” has raised concerns. While both top Democrats have hinted at being dissatisfied with his use of the phrase, it hasn’t stopped them from potentially endorsing him, according to Politico.
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