New York Attorney General Letitia James criticized Democrat Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s socialist picks for the city, arguing that the candidates are not representative of the area.
“Some of the candidates that he has supported are individuals who do not understand the politics of New York City, the cultural differences from district to district, who have not been part of the history and the struggle of some of these districts, and are relatively new to the body politic,” James told CNN.
“All of us are a little frustrated with the Democratic Party. But you don’t blow it up. That’s what MAGA has done,” she said.
“DSA has a project to elect socialists. The Working Families Party has a project around building governing power on a broad coalition to deliver for working families. There are times where that project is parallel and aligned and united, and that’s great. And then there are times when we differ,” she added. “I hope we can learn to fight cleaner races. I think this one got a little bit too personal, too dirty. And so I hope that’s a lesson we all learn.”
Darius Jones, advisor to the National Black Empowerment Action Fund (NBEAF), told The New York Post that black and Hispanic voters “don’t like the trick the DSA is trying to pull in Harlem – using the forces of gentrification to try to supplant our agenda and subvert our priorities.”
“We know crazy when we see it,” Jones added to the outlet. “Abolishing the police and releasing every prisoner, even rapists and murderers, isn’t progressive. It’s nuts. It isn’t people with a doorman who have the most to lose; we know it’s us, people of color, who are going to suffer most from the DSA’s reckless agenda.”
James’ comments come as democratic socialists have seen success in New York elections.
