Pollster Penn Warns Mamdani Primary Win Threatens Democratic Party

Mark Penn, a longtime Clinton pollster, has described Zohran Mamdani's victory in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary as a '9-1-1 moment' for the Democratic Party, warning that Mamdani's far-left and antisemitic views pose a significant threat to the party. Mamdani, a democratic socialist advocating for policies such as city-run grocery stores and a $30 minimum wage, has not disavowed calls to 'globalize the intifada' or his comments about seizing the means of production, which Penn calls extreme. Penn criticized the primary system as hijacked, noting a lack of a runoff that might have exposed Mamdani's views more fully. He emphasized that opponents should avoid framing the general election as Mamdani versus President Trump, a strategy Mamdani favors, because the Democratic voter base in New York City remains strong. Mamdani is expected to face off against current Mayor Eric Adams, running as an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa, with former Governor Andrew Cuomo potentially entering as a third-party candidate. Penn urged other Democratic candidates to focus on policy issues like crime reduction and economic growth to rally support against Mamdani's candidacy.