NYT ed board hard passes on socialist mayoral hopeful

The New York Times editorial board on Monday encouraged voters not to support far-left Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani in the 2025 New York City mayoral race.

The NYT editorial board wrote that while they believe Mamdani “offers the kind of fresh political style for which many people are hungry,” he is “running on an agenda uniquely unsuited” to New York City’s “challenges.” The board added they believe that Mamdani “too often ignores the unavoidable trade-offs of governance.”

“He is a democratic socialist who too often ignores the unavoidable trade-offs of governance,” the NYT editorial board wrote. “He favors rent freezes that could restrict housing supply and make it harder for younger New Yorkers and new arrivals to afford housing. He wants the government to operate grocery stores, as if customer service and retail sales were strengths of the public sector. He minimizes the importance of policing.”

“Most worrisome, he shows little concern about the disorder of the past decade, even though its costs have fallen hardest on the city’s working-class and poor residents,” the outlet’s editorial board wrote further.

The board also critiqued Mamdani as being less experienced than other New York City mayoral candidates, claiming he would have “less relevant experience than perhaps any mayor in New York history” if he is elected.

“Mr. Mamdani would also bring less relevant experience than perhaps any mayor in New York history,” the editorial board wrote. “He has never run a government department or private organization of any size. As a state legislator, he has struggled to execute his own agenda.”

Meanwhile, the NYT editorial board wrote that they believe former Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo — who is seen as the other frontrunner in the New York City mayoral race alongside Mamdani — has “his own significant shortcomings.”

“The other front-runner, Mr. Cuomo, has his own significant shortcomings,” the NYT editorial board wrote. “He resigned as governor in 2021, during his third term, because of allegations of sexual harassment or inappropriate touching from at least 11 women. This board called for his resignation at the time because of the disturbing, credible nature of the accusations. We noted that his treatment of women was part of a larger pattern of bullying, self-serving behavior.”

“Many New Yorkers are nonetheless planning to vote for Mr. Cuomo, partly because of his policy record as governor,” the editorial board added. “His list of accomplishments includes paid family leave, expanded health insurance, a higher minimum wage, a marriage equality law, a strict gun-control law, an ambitious clean energy program, the Second Avenue subway and renovations of John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports and Penn Station.”

Cuomo took office as governor of New York in 2011, and resigned in disgrace in 2021 after he was accused of sexually harassing several women. Cuomo has denied the sexual harassment allegations.

In August 2024, the NYT editorial board announced that they would halt making endorsements in local elections, including in races for governor and New York City mayoral races, but would continue endorsing presidential candidates.

Mamdani’s campaign and Cuomo’s campaign did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

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