'Progressive capitalist' rallies for 'democratic socialist' candidate in NYC mayoral race
JAMAICA, QUEENS – Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., is a "progressive capitalist," but ahead of New York City's highly-anticipated Election Day, the Silicon Valley congressman rallied for self-identified democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani.
As a broad coalition of Mamdani supporters gathered in Queens' Major Mark Park on Saturday, a socialist and a capitalist – both of Indian descent – found common ground despite the Democratic Party's looming identity crisis.
"My vision is economic patriotism," Khanna told Fox News Digital after the rally, explaining that he wants to "build a broad, FDR-Obama-like coalition" to overhaul the U.S. economy. "I think we need to be a broad tent."
Khanna said he is "probably one of the few" Democrats who has campaigned for the Democratic nominee in all three major races of this election cycle, also joining gubernatorial candidates Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., and former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., on the campaign trail in their states this year.
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"If you had asked me when I was growing up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that there would be an Indian-American of Hindu faith representing Silicon Valley introducing an African-born Indian of Muslim faith, who would be the next mayor of New York, I would have told you only in a Mira Nair film, but it's happening," Khanna told the crowd, referencing Mamdani's filmmaker mother.
Among those rallying in Queens were coalitions of New Yorkers from Afghan, Muslim, Pakistani and Bangladeshi backgrounds, along with local elected officials, including former Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., who lost his Democratic primary to a more moderate challenger last year.
Speakers during Saturday's rally and canvass launch condemned Islamophobia, after Mamdani last week criticized his competitors in the mayoral race, including Independent candidate former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and Mayor Erics Adams, who suspended his re-election campaign and endorsed Cuomo for what he claims was "Islamophobic rhetoric."
Mamdani asked the New Yorkers gathered to raise their hands if they were ever called a terrorist, if employers "mangled" their names or they had been made to feel "less-than because of who you are."
"We are not just saying goodbye to a disgraced former governor on Tuesday, we are saying goodbye to the politics of that disgrace," Mamdani said.
But just moments prior, a protester disrupted Mamdani's remarks, lambasting the leading mayoral candidate for his refusal to denounce the phrase "globalize the intifada" – which is widely considered a call to violence against Jews. Mamdani said he would discourage others from using the phrase but has been reluctant to denounce it.
"You are a communist!" the protester shouted from the press pen as the crowd booed him while Mamdani continued speaking.
"This is not Cuba! This is not Venezuela!" the protester, who was wearing a shirt with the Cuban flag, shouted.
He was ultimately escorted out of the rally by police officers as he shouted, "F--- you, Zohran!"
President Donald Trump has labeled Mamdani a "100% Communist Lunatic" and "My little communist" – a moniker Mamdani has rejected.
Mamdani's ambitious campaign agenda includes fast and free buses, city-run grocery stores, and free childcare, which he plans to pay for by raising taxes on corporations and the top 1% of New Yorkers.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who was heckled by Mamdani supporters to "Tax the rich" during last Sunday's rally, has ruled out a tax hike, despite endorsing Mamdani's mayoral campaign.
After Saturday's rally and canvass launch, Khanna told Fox News Digital that Hochul "should be taxing the billionaires."
"What's wrong with having a tax on that wealth so that we can pay for childcare?" Khanna questioned, explaining that a 10% "trillionaire tax" – which he said Elon Musk is angling to be – could pay for universal childcare in the United States.
"I don't understand why she's not for a basic wealth tax," Khanna added.
Mamdani's mayoral campaign has exposed a divide within the Democratic Party, as New York Democrats were reluctant to endorse his democratic socialist agenda.
After months of withholding his support, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries finally endorsed Mamdani last week. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has yet to endorse Mamdani with just days left in the race.
As the Democratic Party grapples with losses up and down the ballot in 2024, a new report this week urged Democrats to moderate their positions.
The report was released on the heels of the trio of self-identified democratic socialists – Mamdani, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. – joining forces to rally more than 10,000 New York City voters at Forest Hills Stadium last Sunday.
When asked about the value of building a coalition with Mamdani, despite Khanna rejecting socialism and calling himself a "progressive capitalist," he told Fox News Digital that the real challenge is the "wealth divide."
"People can't afford rent," Khanna said. "People can't afford childcare. SNAP is being cut. I represent more wealth than ever before, and I'm saying you can tax billionaires so people can have healthcare and education. We can have a vision of how we're going to create high-paying jobs, not just here in Queens, but in rural America, in factory towns across this nation."
Fox News Digital's Olivia Palombo contributed to this report.
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