Democratic Socialists’ Contentious Policies Put Zohran Mamdani’s Mayoral Campaign Under Scrutiny

In July, following his victorious Democratic primary bid for New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani found himself under scrutiny due to resolutions passed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) at their recent national convention. Critics are now attempting to make these DSA policies a political issue ahead of November’s election.

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent after losing to Mamdani in the primary, has been vocal about highlighting Democratic socialist policies and suggesting that Mamdani is not adequately challenged on them.

The DSA, whose individual chapters are now prohibited from supporting or contributing funds to law enforcement, have also taken stances against measures funding border control, advocated for a carbon-free economy, and called for the return of land to indigenous communities. The DSA’s stance on ending criminal penalties for misdemeanor crimes, closing prisons, and their strident criticism of Israel have been pointed out by Cuomo.

At a press conference, Cuomo stated, “Voters deserve transparency before they cast their ballots.”

Mamdani, who identifies as a democratic socialist on his social media profiles and maintains close ties with DSA officials in New York City and nationally, has distanced himself from certain DSA policies. He reiterated to reporters that he does not support decriminalizing misdemeanors or defunding the police, despite past criticism of the New York Police Department on social media.

When asked about the DSA’s resolutions, Mamdani said, “My specific policy proposals are the ones I discuss, the ones I share on my platform and website. Those are the ones New Yorkers should hold me accountable to.”

Officials with the national DSA organization clarified that they do not endorse a candidate unless a local chapter files a formal request, which has not been done by the New York City chapter. However, they expressed pride in Mamdani and rejected the notion that his association with socialism is a political liability.

Megan Romer, co-chair of the DSA, said, “While there may be apprehensions among some older generations about socialism, younger folks are realizing that capitalism isn’t working for them. It leads to mass incarceration, underfunded schools and playgrounds, and lack of healthcare. These policies resonate with voters.”

Another DSA co-chair, Ashik Siddique, said in a statement, “We are proud to count Zohran as a member.” He added, “While we are proud that Zohran works closely with NYC-DSA, we also understand his platform for mayor is not identical to the DSA National platform.”

The DSA’s extensive policy resolutions, totaling over 300 pages, were passed at their August national convention. The organization, formed in the 1970s from the merger of two groups with the intent of promoting workers’ rights, has since expanded to champion a variety of socialist policies.

On their website, the DSA explains their goal is “to collectively own key economic drivers that dominate our lives, such as energy production and transportation.” They aim for a “radical” shift towards single-payer Medicare for All, defunding the police/refunding communities, the Green New Deal, and more as a stepping stone to a freer, more just society.

The DSA’s vision for a “Democratic Socialist Republic” includes replacing existing law enforcement agencies with a public safety force run by local communities for de-escalation and protecting democratic and social rights. They also call for banning former officers from joining the organization and eliminating qualified immunity.

When asked about these policies, Romer characterized them as long-term societal goals rather than a rigid checklist. She said, “We are pragmatists, and we understand that being in office now means working with the system as it is and modifying it as we can to move toward where we want it to be.”

Mamdani, despite his past support for the defund movement, is not actively campaigning on antagonizing police. He stated, “I am not defunding the police. I am not running to defund the police.”

The DSA’s policy resolutions repeatedly refer to Israel’s actions in Gaza as a genocide and call for a single-state solution “from the river to the sea” – a phrase that supporters of Israel see as calling for the elimination of the Jewish state. They also support “the student intifada,” demonstrations of Palestinian solidarity on college campuses.

Supporters of Israel view calls for an “intifada” as glorifying violence against Jews. During the primary, Mamdani was criticized for declining to disavow the phrase “globalize the intifada” in a media interview. After winning the primary, he told business leaders that he would discourage use of the phrase.