Mark Halperin Breaks Down Mamdani’s Chances Of Winning

Political analyst Mark Halperin said on Fox Business Friday that Zohran Mamdani has an 85% chance of winning New York’s mayoral race despite facing significant opposition.

Before winning the Democratic mayoral nomination in June, Mamdani campaigned against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. During an appearance on “Kudlow,” Halperin discussed the chances of Mamdani winning the New York mayoral race.

“Not today. There was some opposition research dropped on him,” Halperin told Larry Kudlow when the host asked if Mamdani can be beaten in New York. “And if there’s something that’s akin to a silver bullet against a communist, maybe. But, barring that, I think he’s got an 85% chance of being his honor come next year.”

Halperin added that while some donors may excel at making money, they can be “really stupid about politics.” He said the fundamental mistake they’re making is backing a candidate without fully understanding the political landscape.

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“You can be really good in making money and really stupid about politics. And I think the fundamental mistake they’re making, I’ve met a donor or two who doesn’t know much about politics but think they do. Maybe you have as well. The problem is they don’t have a candidate,” Halperin said. ‘Tip O’Neill said all politics is local and people say that’s the first rule of politics. It’s actually the second.”

Halperin said that while many business-minded donors focus on metrics and data, they overlook a key factor in the political race. (RELATED: ‘They’re Nervous About What They Don’t Know That He Said’: Former RNC Director Says Mamdani Makes Democrats Panic)

“The first rule of politics is you can’t beat someone with no one. Mayor Adams, which is where most of our wealthy colleagues and friends are putting their money, look at the polling. Look at the data,” Halperin said. “These are folks who make money in business looking at metrics and data. They’re not looking at the data. Mayor Adams has a ceiling on his support that makes him unelectable, even if it’s a one-on-one race, and it’s not going to be a one-on-one race.”

Halperin’s comments about the intense scrutiny Mamdani faces are reflected in the recent revelation that a super PAC supporting his campaign accepted a donation from Imam Siraj Wahhaj, a cleric linked to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. The donation of $1,000 to the Unity and Justice Fund in May came just days before the PAC funneled most of its money to support Mamdani’s mayoral bid, according to campaign finance records.

In a June 16 Instagram video, Wahhaj called Mamdani, who identifies as Muslim, a “very good candidate” for New York City mayor and encouraged Muslims to vote for him. Mamdani secured the Democratic nomination on July 1 with 56% of the vote, defeating more moderate establishment Democrats in the city’s ranked-choice voting system.

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