Shift in Political Support from Former NYPD Lieutenant

A former NYPD lieutenant, known for his steadfast Republican support, has recently changed his stance, openly endorsing Mayor Zoran Mamdani, who is running for a left-leaning state House seat.

Shamsul Haq has joined forces with Mamdani, praising the democratic socialist mayor, despite previously criticizing such “woke” politicians and aligning with Republicans for many years.

In a post on X back in February 2022, Haq’s group, Rise Up New York City, declared their intention to vote Republican in the upcoming November elections.

Earlier in the same year, “Rise Up” commented negatively on a photo featuring the Democratic Socialists of America, including Mamdani, stating, “This team will destroy New York.”

Haq and his group have also publicly supported Brandon Castro, the Republican candidate for the 30th Congressional District seat in 2024.

Since the establishment of Rise Up five years ago, Haq has consistently expressed similar views against left-wing politicians and organizations like the DSA and the Working Families Party.

In 2023, they questioned the impact of a rent freeze while other costs continued to rise, responding to the Working Families Party’s proposal for such a freeze.

Haq voiced concerns about the Democratic Party hurting working-class New Yorkers and accused them of backing extremist candidates.

Nevertheless, after announcing his candidacy for the assembly this year, Haq has pivoted to support Mayor Mamdani, even hiring his election lawyer, Ali Najmi.

He stated, “DSA clearly supports taxing the wealthy, and I align with that,” during an interview following his candidacy announcement.

Expressing his background, he mentioned, “They want to assist working-class individuals, and I feel the same way since I come from a working-class family.”

Not too long ago, he criticized state Sen. Mike Gianaris (D-Queens) for leading protests aimed at luring Amazon’s headquarters to the area.

Previously, Haq argued that “capitalism, despite its flaws, is infinitely better than socialism,” urging Gianaris to resign for the sake of the state.

Gianaris, who announced earlier this year that he would not seek reelection, has led to U.S. Rep. Steve Raga (D-Queens) entering the race for that Senate seat, leaving the 30th District Council seat open for candidates like Haq.

The Queens Democratic Party is supporting one of Haq’s rivals, Patrick Martinez, who has familial ties to political figures. Nepali community leader Somnath Ghimire is also in the running.

In 2024, Raga defeated Castro by a significant margin in a district that leans heavily Democratic.