Booker Declines to Endorse NYC Mayoral Candidate Mamdani

On Sunday, New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker was asked by CNN about his support for Zoran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate in New York City. Booker, however, refrained from backing Mamdani, who identifies as a socialist. Mamdani recently won the Democratic primary against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, but he appears to be struggling to gain widespread support from key figures in the party. In a recent Senate floor speech, Booker criticized Democrats for failing to unite as a party in the face of challenges presented by former President Donald Trump.

When pressed by CNN’s Manu Raju about whether the party’s left flank faced issues, Booker acknowledged that Mamdani, as a Democratic socialist, lacked support but avoided directly endorsing him. Booker stated, “This is not a left and right issue,” emphasizing instead that the divisions in the U.S. are less significant than the shared connections among people.

Subsequently, Booker pointedly refused to pledge support for Mamdani, noting that he had enough of his own challenges back in New Jersey, mentioning the gubernatorial and legislative races he has focused on. “I love New York City; it’s my neighbor, just about 10 miles away. You understand your elections. I’m concentrating on mine,” he explained.

Furthermore, Mamdani has faced critique for his far-left views, particularly regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict, which seems to have raised concerns even among his fellow Democratic candidates. He has previously shown support for boycotts against Israel and even attended meetings with anti-Israel groups, which drew scrutiny for his statements that some interpreted as inciting violence.

While Mamdani’s political stance has come under fire, he has found himself grappling with the aftermath of recent violence in the city, which includes the death of a police officer. Following that incident, he appeared to distance himself from earlier strong stances he had taken regarding policing.

Other prominent Democrats, including New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Representatives like Hakeem Jeffries, have similarly shied away from endorsing Mamdani. Last week, Booker publicly opposed a police funding bill proposed by his Democratic colleagues alongside a Republican senator, arguing that the party should not perpetuate policies from the Trump administration.

“It seems like we’re giving Donald Trump a pass again,” he remarked, urging his party members to unite rather than engage in infighting. In his final thoughts, Booker warned, “If we’re not standing together as Democrats, we’re setting ourselves up to fail.”

As of now, neither Booker nor Mamdani has responded to inquiries from the media regarding their stances.