Hudson Valley Councilman Mike Lawler has expressed that minority leader Hakeem Jeffries and other New York Democrats seem to be “going crazy” following socialist Zoran Mamdani’s win in the mayoral primary.
Lawler, a Republican from New York, mentioned a report by journalist Mark Halperin, indicating that Jeffries feels cautiously about the Democrats regaining control of the House if Mamdani takes the mayor’s office.
“I think so,” Lawler said during an appearance on Fox & Friends on Wednesday, responding to Halperin’s report. “They’re really in a tough spot. Kathy Hochul, Chuck Schumer, and Hakeem Jeffries are alarmed about the thought of Marxists influencing global financial matters.”
“They see this as not just a potential disaster for the Democrats, but for the whole country,” he continued.
Halperin noted that Jeffries is convinced that if Mamdani wins, it would make it difficult for the Democrats to secure a majority, citing conversations he’s had with people close to the leader.
Jeffries’ spokesperson has dismissed the report, calling it “patently false.”
Up to now, Jeffries has not shown support for Mamdani, who previously likened Jeffries to notorious segregationist George Wallace, challenging his progressive credentials.
The two Democrats met in person recently, but Jeffries plans to approach Mamdani differently after returning from a wedding in Uganda.
On Wednesday, Lawler announced he would not run against Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2026. Instead, he will once again contest the swing seat, positioning himself as a key face within the Democratic Party.
“It’s absolutely insane that there are people who think they should control the means of production, abolish private property, freeze rents, provide free buses and mass transit, and establish government-run grocery stores,” Lawler commented about Mamdani.
“They realize this could be a setback in suburban areas like mine, which influence Congress control. That’s why they’re hesitant to support him, yet they can’t stray too far from him either.”
Jeffries is on a mission to reclaim control of the House, where Republicans currently hold a slight majority of 219 to 212 seats.
Historically, when a party controls the White House, it tends to lose seats during mid-term elections, a trend consistently seen since 1938, with a few notable exceptions.
Republicans are optimistic that various factors, such as voter turnout, might alter the expected outcomes. Although Mamdani is a frontrunner for the mayoral position in New York City, he still needs to win the general election, with some polls indicating a competitive race ahead.
