Zohran Mamdani emerges as GOP’s government shutdown boogeyman

As the federal government shutdown continues for effectively over a month, one left-wing determine has emerged as Republicans’ most cited political boogeyman within the Home of Representatives — and he isn’t among the many high two Democrats in Congress.

As a substitute, it is Zohran Mamdani, a New York State lawmaker and self-described democratic socialist operating for mayor 200 miles away in New York Metropolis.

“You noticed how their get together was pulled additional to the socialist left, and that began then [Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.] defeated Joe Crowley. And ever since, Democrats have been afraid of that sort of rising wing of their get together,” Home Majority Chief Steve Scalise advised Fox Information Digital when requested why Republican leaders invoke Mamdani so typically.

“As we speak they’re the middle of the Democratic Celebration. They lead the Democratic Celebration, and you may see it: Mamdani is the one all of them concern and hearken to.”

HARRIS OFFERS TIMID SUPPORT OF MAMDANI, QUICKLY TALKS TO OTHER ‘STAR’ DEMOCRATS

Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani participates within the second New York Metropolis mayoral debate with impartial candidate and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa on the LaGuardia Performing Arts Heart at LaGuardia Neighborhood Faculty in Lengthy Island Metropolis, Queens, New York, October 22, 2025. (Hiroko Masuike/Pool/AFP through Getty Photographs)

He pointed to Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries and his current assist for Mamdani.

“The way in which they run their total get together operation has modified as a result of they’re afraid of the left base of the get together, which is now actually led by Mamdani,” Scalise mentioned.

Republican leaders or Home audio system at their each day shutdown press conferences introduced up Mamdani each straight and not directly at every of their press conferences final week.

CLINTON CAMPAIGN ALUM URNS JEFFRIES AND SCHUMER TO ‘NOT TAKE’ AND BE ‘BULYED’ FOR MAMDANI APPROVAL

Speaker Mike Johnson after his press convention on the US Capitol in Washington, October 28, 2025. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Picture)

At his Thursday information convention, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., accused the media of criticizing his frequent feedback on the New York Metropolis socialist.

“Amazingly, the media is criticizing the Republicans for fixating on Mamdani. I learn a few of that yesterday. This socialist rebellion is one thing we’ve a duty to sound the alarm about. That is what the individuals’s elected representatives ought to be doing,” Johnson mentioned.

“And we take that duty significantly. And clearly Mamdani is an enormous deal right here within the halls of Congress. Why? As a result of the nation’s second-highest rating Democrat, Chief Jeffries, endorsed him.”

Republicans additionally not too long ago known as him “commie Mamdani,” a nickname launched by Home Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., throughout a shutdown information convention the place Home GOP leaders invited Republicans in New York’s congressional delegation to talk.

Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa take part within the second New York Metropolis mayoral debate at LaGuardia Neighborhood Faculty in Lengthy Island Metropolis, Queens, New York Metropolis, October 22, 2025. (Hiroko Masuike/Pool/AFP through Getty Photographs)

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Mamdani himself at one level criticized Johnson for his concentrate on him earlier this month.

“Speaker Johnson ought to seat members of Congress as a substitute of utilizing his time to assault our marketing campaign,” Mamdani shot again from Manhattan on Monday.

“However I perceive that if I have been one of many leaders of the Republican Celebration who had run a marketing campaign that promised People a decrease price of dwelling and cheaper groceries, and the one factor I might get for them was a authorities shutdown, I might additionally attempt to distract from that lack of leads to any method I might.”