'He's not even a Democrat': Fetterman urges Adams and Cuomo to join forces against socialist Mamdani to save New York mayoralty

The Democratic senator for Pennsylvania, John Fetterman, expressed harsh criticism against the victory of socialist Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic primary for mayor of New York, calling it a "Christmas in July for the Republican Party."

In an interview with Chad Pergram of Fox News on Thursday, Fetterman noted that the election of Mamdani, a 33-year-old state lawmaker, reflects a disconnect between New York Democratic voters and those in key battleground states such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, or Nevada.

"Everything that I've read on him, I don't really agree with virtually any of it politically," Fetterman said. "That's just where I'm at as a Democrat. He's not even a Democrat, honestly."

The senator, known for distancing himself from his party on issues such as support for Israel and immigration reform, stressed that Republicans could seize upon Mamdani's rise to attack the Democratic Party by tagging it with Mamdani's progressive proposals, such as 1% taxes, free public transportation, rent freezes and municipal supermarkets.

Mamdani, who prevailed in the June primary over former Governor Andrew Cuomo through New York's ranked-choice voting system, has not been fully endorsed by the Democratic old guard. While figures such as Rep. Adriano Espaillat have expressed support recently, key leaders, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have yet to give a public endorsement.

Upcoming elections

In next November's general election, Mamdani will face a competitive race. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who sat out the primary because of his low approval ratings and the dropping of federal charges against him, is running as an independent. Cuomo, meanwhile, also plans to run as an independent under the "Fight and Deliver" party, while Jim Walden, former federal prosecutor, and Curtis Sliwa, Republican candidate and co-founder of Guardian Angels, round out the ticket.

In that vein, Fetterman also warned that fragmentation of the vote between Adams and Cuomo could benefit Mamdani, stating, "they have to figure out on the other side. Otherwise, it's a sure mutual destruction if they all remain in that race."

For the senator, Mamdani's victory does not reflect the sentiment of the national electorate.

"It's definitely not Pennsylvania. It's not Wisconsin. It's not Nevada,” he said, arguing that the New York primary is "not an accurate reflection of the electorate" and lacks relevance to the 2028 contests in key states.

The New York mayoral race, with its mix of progressive, independent, and Republican candidates, promises to be a political battleground that could shape the national discourse, especially in a context where the Democratic Party seeks to redefine itself against a Republican Party strengthened under the leadership of President Donald Trump.