New York City mayoral candidate and self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (D) became the subject of widespread ridicule after failing to bench press 135 pounds without assistance at a city event. The incident occurred during a Men’s Day celebration in Brooklyn, where Mamdani struggled to lift the bar and had to be helped by a spotter from the group “500 Men Making a Difference,” according to the New York Post.
Critics online immediately pounced, calling the failed lift a perfect metaphor for the modern Democratic Party. “Is there a better example of the modern Democratic Party than this?” one user wrote. Even former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, now running as an independent for mayor, commented, “This guy can’t bench his own body weight, let alone carry the weight of leading the most important city in the world.”
The moment quickly became viral, with social media users mocking Mamdani’s physical weakness and linking it to his progressive political stances. Mamdani, who recently won the Democratic primary, has proposed controversial policies such as city-run grocery stores and removing police from domestic violence calls. He’s also faced backlash for hiring private security—staffed by off-duty NYPD officers—despite being a vocal supporter of defunding the police.
Financial records show his campaign spent nearly $34,000 on private security in just two months, even as he denounces law enforcement. Despite this contradiction, Mamdani leads in fundraising, pulling in over $1 million in small-dollar donations, surpassing both Cuomo and current Mayor Eric Adams.
While Mamdani may have flopped at the weight rack, the bigger test lies ahead—convincing New Yorkers that he has the strength to run the city.
