Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani received unexpected praise from prominent Republicans Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene following his success in the New York City mayoral Democratic primary.
Mamdani unofficially led the primary on Tuesday with 43 percent of first-round votes, prompting his main rival, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, to concede defeat.
Although Mamdani did not surpass the 50 percent threshold needed for an outright win, it is widely anticipated he will ultimately secure the nomination after the ranked-choice voting process concludes.
On Friday, conservative figures Carlson and Greene expressed surprise in praising Mamdani’s approach and focus.
Carlson remarked on Mamdani’s likely future role running the nation’s largest city, noting Mamdani was the only candidate in the mayoral debate who emphasized prioritizing New York City residents.
During the debate, candidates were asked where their first international trip would be as mayor. Most, including Cuomo, said Israel, but Mamdani stated he would remain in the city to focus on local issues.
Mamdani, 33, is known for his pro-Palestine stance and controversially stated he would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if Netanyahu visited New York City.
Despite this, Mamdani has shown support for Jewish New Yorkers and campaigned in synagogues across all