‘They’re Nervous About What They Don’t Know That He Said’: Former RNC Director Says Mamdani Makes Democrats Panic

Former RNC Communications Director Douglas Heye appeared on Fox News Thursday and pointed to the rising threat posed by New York Assemblyman and Democratic nominee for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Before winning the Democratic mayoral nomination in June, Mamdani campaigned against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. During an appearance on “Special Report with Bret Baier,” Heye said Mamdani’s candidacy, though unvetted, has already set off alarm bells among Democrats who are growing anxious not only about his past statements but also about the ones they haven’t heard yet.

“Yes, Democrats are nervous about what Mamdani has said, but they’re nervous about what they don’t know that he said even more. We’re going to hear more and more of things that he’s tweeted, of things that he’s posted, things that he’s said in press conferences that no one paid attention to until now,” Heye said.

Heye added that this will present a significant challenge for Democrats, who will likely face increased scrutiny.

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“And that’s going to be a challenge for Democrats. And the RGA, the Republican Governors Association, is sure going to try and link that to the New Jersey governor’s race, which is the same media market,” Heye said.

Heye said the situation reminds him of former Republican North Carolina Lt. Governor Mark Robinson, when he emerged as a candidate. (RELATED: Zohran Mamdani Ducks And Weaves When Asked To Condemn Term Calling For Killing Jews)

“We’re probably talking about the North Carolina lieutenant governor at the time, Mark Robinson. Every two years, as a candidate who emerges like this, they’ve been unvetted,” Heye said.

Robinson faced significant controversy during his 2024 gubernatorial campaign after CNN reported that he made explicit and offensive comments on a pornography website between 2008 and 2012. The posts, allegedly under the username “minisoldr,” included self-identifying as a “black NAZI,” expressing support for slavery, and using racial and antisemitic slurs.

Robinson denied the allegations and called the report “salacious tabloid trash” and filed a defamation lawsuit against CNN. He later dropped the lawsuit, however, and announced he would not seek elected office in the future.

Mamdani’s past statements and actions have resurfaced as he faces scrutiny for his 2009 Columbia University application. Mamdani listed both “Asian” and “African American” on his 2009 Columbia University application. In a subsequent interview with The New York Times, Mamdani said he does not identify as either African or Asian American, instead viewing himself as “an American born in Africa.”

As the Democratic nominee, Mamdani said he wants to impose rent freezes, create government-run services like public transit and grocery stores and advocate for higher taxes on affluent areas, which he characterizes as “richer and whiter.” He has secured endorsements from independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

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