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Jeffries, Schumer, and the DNC are dissing the Democratic voter - whose side are they on? [1]
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Date: 2025-09-15
Where is the official Democratic support for Mamdani?
When Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primary for NYC Mayor, the Democratic National Committee, Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, NY’s other Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D), and Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) were silent on endorsing him. Weeks passed. Still nothing. That’s a lot of Ds ignoring their base.
Finally, on Sunday, Hochul backed the man NYC’s Democratic voters said should be the Democratic candidate. Where are the rest of them? What’s the holdup? What are they waiting for? Someone else?
Silence was bad enough. Now Jeffries has moved from inactivity on Mamdani to dissing (by proxy) other Democrats who support the Democratic candidate. Take Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). He has criticized Democratic leaders like Jeffries, Schumer, and Hochul for staying “on the sidelines.” On Saturday, he made his feelings clear:
“That kind of spineless politics is what people are sick of. They need to get behind [Mamdani] and get behind him now.”
In response, Jeffries’s spokesman Justin Chermol took a swipe at Van Hollen. Chermol, when asked if Jeffries was moving towards an official endorsement in the NYC race, said the representative would have more to say “well in advance” of the Nov. 4 election, before hitting Van Hollen with this wisecrack:
“Meanwhile, confused New Yorkers are asking themselves the question: Chris Van Who?”
WTF? This cattiness is the message Jeffries wants out there? Apparently, it is. I haven’t heard him express opposition to his mouthpiece’s remarks. I am a New Yorker. I don’t need some smug and bumptious prep school bastard throwing shade instead of getting behind the people’s candidate.
Mamdani won despite being massively outspent
Zohran won on Jun. 24. It wasn’t close. The relatively unknown Mamdani beat the ex-Governor, Andrew Cuomo, and his massive pile of cash by 13%. Why? His message resonated with the Democratic primary voters.
Andy was always the establishment candidate, but Zohran was the people’s choice. For proof, consider this report from thecity.nyc :
Between the $5.5 million his [Cuomo’s] campaign spent and the $26 million that came from generously funded independent expenditure committees that supported him or attacked his chief rival, Zohran Mamdani, his losing effort came to $87 per vote. Mamdani, by contrast, spent $6 million from his campaign but got far less support ($1.8 million) from independent expenditure committees supporting him or attacking Cuomo — and still managed to best his rival by spending not quite $19 per vote.
Here is the money data in a picture:
If a candidate wins when the money is equal, they deserve the support of the Party. When the candidate wins despite being outspent by millions, then the Party should be embracing that candidate as someone who knows how to win elections while swimming against the tide.
All politics is local
Don’t get me wrong. Mamdani’s policies are what New York Democrats want. However, that doesn’t mean every Democratic candidate should run on the same platform. What works in the Bronx may not work in Maine, where another young Democratic candidate, Graham Platner (aka ‘The Oysterman’) is attracting positive attention.
Democrats must have some absolutes: Decent wages, safe jobs, choice, universal healthcare, minority and LGBTQ rights, no hungry children, a humane immigration policy, etc, for instance. But each candidate should run on and stress what is most important to the voters in their region.
To that end, the fact that the DNC has no clear message is a blessing in disguise. Trump and the MAGA media may try to paint Democrats as being this or that. But as the Party has no strong national presence, individual Democratic candidates can campaign on issues that are important to the voters where they are running.
We have already seen that strategy bear fruit. Democratic candidates have narrowed GOP margins in bright red congressional seats. Won what were supposed to be tight elections. Flipped previously GOP seats. And widened margins in Democratic precincts.
Conclusion
Let the DNC and the party poohbahs waffle. Democratic candidates are getting it done.
[END]
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