Fetterman warns Mamdani’s socialist win could brand Democrats, as party leaders debate strategy and campaign spending.

Fetterman Says Socialist Victory Is GOP Opportunity

Senator John Fetterman, Democrat of Pennsylvania, described Zohran Mamdani’s victory in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary as “Christmas in July for the GOP,” highlighting the deep divisions that have emerged within the Democratic Party over the city’s political direction. Speaking Thursday, Fetterman criticized Mamdani’s left-wing platform and questioned its resonance outside urban liberal strongholds. “Everything that I’ve read on him, I don’t really agree with virtually any of it politically. He’s not even a Democrat, honestly,” Fetterman said, distancing himself from the nominee.

Fetterman has developed a reputation in the Senate for openly breaking with his party on contentious issues such as support for Israel and immigration reform. He suggested that Mamdani’s political rise provides Republicans an opening to brand the Democratic Party with radical policies—pointing to campaign pledges like taxing the wealthy, free public transit, and city-run groceries. “He provided an opportunity for the GOP to brand our party,” Fetterman said, warning that the party’s image in battleground states could be impacted.

Party Splits, Campaign Spending, and Strategic Fallout

Mamdani, 33, secured his primary win over New York’s political establishment through ranked-choice voting, outpacing rivals like Mayor Eric Adams and former Governor Andrew Cuomo, both now running as independents in the general election. Despite his success, the city’s Democratic leadership has yet to rally behind him, leaving questions about unity and strategy in the run-up to November.

Mamdani’s campaign has also attracted national scrutiny for its unprecedented spending. According to campaign finance records, Mamdani’s team disbursed over $3 million to the Debra Schommer Media Group for television, production, and digital ads. Schommer, a key Democratic strategist with a history managing Barack Obama’s and Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaigns, has been praised for her expertise but faced criticism from opponents. Targeted Victory’s Matt Gorman remarked, “Consultants can work wonders, but they're not miracle workers. A communist is still a communist.”

Schommer’s firm has also managed media buys for progressive figures like Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush. Both lost their Democratic primaries after championing left-wing causes such as police defunding and reparations, adding to debate over the risks and rewards of progressive branding within the party.

Fetterman and others, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Governor Kathy Hochul, have yet to endorse Mamdani, while DSA leaders are weighing primary challenges against New York incumbents opposed to their agenda. Democratic strategist Andre Richardson, an advisor to Jeffries, dismissed DSA threats, pledging to “teach” Mamdani’s allies “a painful lesson” in the next primary cycle.

Despite endorsements from progressive figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Fetterman emphasized that the outcome in New York City may not reflect broader national trends. “It’s definitely not Pennsylvania. It’s not Wisconsin. It’s not Nevada. If you look at any of the battleground states, New York City has no actual relevance to the kinds of states and the kind of races which determine that in 2028,” he said, cautioning against overinterpreting local results. He concluded, “For New York City, politically, that’s a circus mirror of the reality of politics and the politics of our country.”

As Democrats face internal divisions, strategic spending, and pressure to consolidate support, Mamdani’s campaign becomes a case study in the evolving identity and direction of the party, both in the city and on the national stage.