Sen. Cory Booker on Support for NYC Mayoral Candidate

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) recently declined to express support for New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. He labeled the advocates for increasing police presence as “wrong.”

During an interview with CNN’s Manu Raju that aired on Sunday, Booker was asked about the absence of Democratic leaders backing Mamdani. “Is that a problem? Do you support him?” Raju inquired.

Instead of directly addressing the question, Booker suggested that the divides in America aren’t as pronounced as the shared connections among people.

Booker expressed hesitance about the media focus on division, saying, “Big corporations want to highlight our differences. Can we please get back to effective governance?”

Raju pressed further, reiterating, “Mamdani, will you support him?”

The senator did not commit to backing any democratic socialist candidates.

“I’ve learned it’s best to keep New York politics just that—New York politics,” Booker explained. “New Jersey has its own challenges. I’m backing Mikier Cheryl in the governor’s race, and I need to focus on my legislative race this November.”

Booker shared his fondness for New York City: “I love you, NYC. You’re just about ten miles from me. You know your local election; I’ll focus on my own.”

Mamdani, known for his critical views on Israel, made waves last month by defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo and others in the Democratic mayoral primary, yet he struggled to gain support from prominent Democratic figures like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Critics of Mamdani have pointed out his earlier support for the police refund, an issue that Raju identified in his conversation with Booker.

Mamdani had tweeted in June 2020 about the need to “#DefundTheNypd,” arguing that the NYPD posed significant threats to marginalized communities. A few days later, he stated that New York required a “Socialist City Council to refund the police.”

When Raju asked Booker about the potential problem this stance posed for the party, Booker reflected on the national dialogue following the death of George Floyd, emphasizing that his priority is to grasp what Black communities in New Jersey desire regarding policing: “Most Newark residents would likely support more police presence.”

Booker articulated a nuanced view: “We don’t want oppressive policing, but safety is crucial to any community. Police play a role in that.” He firmly stated, “So anyone advocating to ‘refund the police’ is mistaken—within the party or beyond, I stand against that.”

In light of a recent tragic shooting in Manhattan that claimed four lives, including an officer’s, Mamdani revisited his former stance on police funding last week.

He clarified to reporters, “I’m not campaigning to refund the police. My previous comments were made during a moment of deep frustration in light of George Floyd’s murder.”