The Democrat Party is full of infighting. They may never stop at this point.
As a Democrat Senator slams a fellow Leftist with this shocking move.
Sen. Cory Booker Dodges Mamdani Endorsement, Rejects “Defund the Police” Push
In a CNN interview aired Sunday, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) skillfully sidestepped questions about endorsing New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani while taking a firm stand against the “defund the police” movement. Speaking with CNN’s Manu Raju, Booker emphasized unity and pragmatism, steering clear of New York’s heated political landscape.
Raju pressed Booker on Mamdani, the democratic socialist who stunned the nation by defeating former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and others in New York City’s June Democratic mayoral primary. “Democratic leaders are not supporting [Mamdani]. Is that a problem? Do you support him?” Raju asked.
Booker avoided a direct answer, instead highlighting shared values. “The lines that divide us in America are not nearly as strong as the ties that bind us,” he said, dismissing polarized narratives.
“Big corporations, people want to keep our eyes on the screen, want to pit us against each other and tell us how much we should hate each other. I am sorry. The left-right lens is not the right lens to look at this right now.”
When Raju doubled down, asking again, “Mamdani, are you going to support him?” Booker remained noncommittal. “I have learned a long time ago: Let New York politics be New York politics,” he said.
“We’ve got enough challenges in Jersey. I got a governor’s race. I’m supporting Mikie Sherrill. I got legislative races. That’s where my energy is going to go going into November.”
He added a neighborly nod: “New York City, I love you. You’re my neighbor. You’re about 10 miles from where I live. You guys figure out your elections. I’m going to focus on mine.”
Mamdani, a 33-year-old New York assemblyman known for his criticism of Israel and reluctance to denounce antisemitic slogans, has struggled to gain support from key Democrats like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
His past advocacy for defunding the police, a lightning-rod issue, also drew attention. Raju pointed to Mamdani’s 2020 tweet: “What we need is to #DefundTheNYPD,” where he labeled the NYPD “racist, anti-qu**r & a major threat to public safety.” Mamdani later posted that New York has to have “a socialist city council to defund the police.”
Asked if such remarks still pose challenges for Democrats, Booker pivoted to his home state. “I’m going to speak for Jersey,” he said.
“Newark, New Jersey, a majority black city, five days after the George Floyd incident, if you had polled my city and said, ‘Do you want more police, less police, or the same amount of police?’ Newark would have overwhelmingly voted for more police.”
He highlighted the need for safety, stating, “We don’t want police violating our rights. We don’t want police endangering our lives, but we want safety and security as the fundamental foundation of Maslow’s pyramid. We want to have security in our community, and the police are part of that. An essential part of that equation.”
Booker was clear: “So anybody who’s saying ‘defund the police’ is wrong, and within the Democratic Party or within the nation, I will always fight that.”
Mamdani recently tempered his stance following a tragic Manhattan mass shooting that k*lled four, including an NYPD officer. “I am not running to defund the police,” he said to reporters.
“My statements in 2020 were made amidst a frustration that many New Yorkers held at the murder of George Floyd,” he said, aiming to reframe his earlier position.
Booker’s measured response reflects a focus on New Jersey’s priorities while avoiding entanglement in New York’s contentious mayoral race. His rejection of “defund the police” rhetoric points to a growing emphasis among some Democrats on practical governance over ideological divides, even as Mamdani’s campaign continues to create controversy.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
