A split inside the Democratic Party broke into public view Wednesday over what it means to be a Democratic socialist, a term for politicians who run under the Democratic banner while holding socialist positions on economics and government. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from New Jersey, said on "America's Newsroom" that New York City's newly elected mayor, Zohran Mamdani, is a socialist and not a Democrat. He added that the broader movement is trying to "hijack" the party.
What Gottheimer said, and why
Gottheimer listed his specific objections to Mamdani's record. He cited Mamdani's opposition to police and to prisons. He separately raised Mamdani's support for eliminating the United States Senate. He called those positions "anti-American, anti-Democratic, anti-capitalist" and said they are not in line with Democratic values.
The arrest warrant that set this off
The fight started over an arrest warrant. During his campaign, Mamdani pledged to honor a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (an international tribunal created to prosecute individuals for war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity) targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He said he would execute that warrant if Netanyahu visited New York City.
He later acknowledged he lacks the legal authority to do so and shifted to calling on the federal government to act instead.
Gottheimer called the stance a double standard. Iranian leadership has visited New York, he noted, without Mamdani raising similar demands. Iran is, in his words, "a top enemy of the United States of America" whose regime kills Americans, including soldiers.
Mamdani's defense
The mayor's office pointed to a separate press conference Mamdani held Wednesday, where he defended his position. He said his interest in ICC warrants applies to any person the court charges with such crimes, not to Netanyahu specifically. He described the October 7 attacks as "a horrific war crime." He also called Netanyahu's conduct in Gaza a genocide and labeled him a war criminal.
Mamdani pointed to efforts in Washington to dismantle the ICC as reason to take international accountability seriously. He said crimes grave enough to offend all of humanity should result in accountability regardless of who commits them.
Gottheimer's parting shot was simpler. He said Mamdani should spend more energy on "picking up the trash and fixing the potholes."