Fox News host implores GOP to use ‘wacko’ Zohran Mamdani as bludgeon against Dems in 2026

“Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Charlie Hurt said on Wednesday that Republicans could use Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and his left-wing policy positions against Democrats in the 2026 mid-term elections.

Mamdani is pushing an array of left-wing policies, including establishing government-run grocery stores while also calling for increasing taxes on predominantly white neighborhoods of New York. Hurt said that the left-wing candidate was someone who could overshadow Democratic candidates nationwide. (RELATED: Kevin McCarthy Says ‘Weak’ Schumer, Jeffries Opened Door For ‘Socialist Wing’ Takeover)

“This is why you think of, so a crazy sort of communist wacko becomes mayor of New York City. That doesn’t really affect the rest of the country, but it does when you are the Democrat nominee and you are a Democrat who is, by the way, sort of channeling a lot of the views of the most enthusiastic part of the party,” Hurt told “America’s Newsroom” co-hosts Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino. “Every time something like this happens, whether it’s a shooting like this, or a government-run grocery store in Missouri closes down, it’s going to highlight these policies that are going on in New York City. And it’s going to become a political issue everywhere else in the country.”

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“Every Republican in the next election, they don’t necessarily have to run against their opponent now, they just have to run against this wacko and it’s going to be very, very effective,” Hurt continued. “That is a very, very effective way to run campaigns.”

Mamdani won the Democratic nomination for mayor of the Big Apple in the June 24 primary, beating out former Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York and other candidates. New York City Mayor Eric Adams is running for re-election as an independent candidate, while the Republican Party nominated Curtis Sliwa.

Mamdani also has a history of anti-Israel comments, including declaring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be arrested if he came to New York City and supporting the BDS (Boycott, Divest and Sanction) movement.

House Speaker Mike Johnson told the Daily Caller News Foundation earlier in July that Mamdani’s victory in the primary was “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,” Johnson said.

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