DNC Chairman Ken Martin warms to Mamdani, says party is ‘big tent’
Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Ken Martin has expressed support for New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, emphasizing that the Democratic Party is a “big tent” that includes a wide range of ideological views-from conservative Democrats to progressives and leftists. In interviews, Martin dismissed concerns that progressive candidates like Mamdani or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez harm the party’s national prospects. He stated that winning elections requires bringing diverse groups together rather than excluding any faction. Martin also rejected the Republican model of strict party conformity, highlighting the Democratic Party’s inclusiveness. Despite controversies surrounding Mamdani, including criticisms from Jewish leaders over some of his statements, Martin congratulated him on his primary victory. the upcoming New York mayoral race is shaping up to be a four-way contest, including Mamdani, incumbent Eric Adams, Republican Curtis Sliwa, and independent Andrew Cuomo.
DNC Chairman Ken Martin warms to Mamdani, says party is ‘big tent’
Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin waved off concerns about Democratic socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, saying the Democratic Party was a “big tent.”
In an interview with Fox News, Martin disputed the assertion that left-wing candidates like Mamdani would hurt the party’s national chances.
“I don’t think they make it difficult at all,” Martin answered when asked if progressive Democrats like Mamdani, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and others complicate his job. “At the end of the day, the difference between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party is that we’re a big tent. We have lots of people in that tent from all of the different ideological wings, from conservative Democrats, to centrists, to progressives, to these new leftists.”
“And the reality is, I’ve always said that you win through addition, not subtraction. You don’t win by putting people out of your coalition. You win by bringing people into your coalition, and that includes people from all different ideological wings,” he added.
The Republican National Committee quickly latched on to Martin’s comments, saying he “warmly welcomes communist Zohran Mamdani to the Democrat Party.”
Martin made similar comments in July in an interview with Fox News Digital, saying he rejected leadership that tries to make the party ideologically aligned.
“The Republicans expect people to march lockstep. If there’s any dissent, they’re drummed out of the party. They’re pushed out of the party. I reject that type of leadership,” he said.
Martin has been trying to put out fires in the Democratic civil war that erupted over Mamdani’s shock victory on June 24. He called Jewish leaders in July, assuring them that the party doesn’t condone the phrase “globalize the intifada,” which some Jews interpret as antisemitic and a call to violence against them and which Mamdani has previously refused to condemn.
Martin gave Mamdani a simple congratulations after his victory in June.
ZOHRAN MAMDANI WANTS YOU TO STOP TALKING ABOUT HOW HE HATES POLICE
“Congratulations to Zohran Mamdani on a big victory in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary, and to all of the Democrats across the ballot who prevailed tonight,” he said in a post on X.
The New York mayoral election is now set to be a four-way faceoff between Mamdani, the independent and embattled incumbent Eric Adams, Republican Curtis Sliwa, and former Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is also running as an independent.
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