Trump-Mamdani 'bromance' baffles New York Republican candidates

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Go Il-hwan = Political media outlet Politico reported on the 27th (local time) that Republican candidates in New York are embarrassed by the 'bromance' between U.S. President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani.

Republican candidates running in New York State ahead of the midterm elections in November have used a strategy of highlighting the anti-Israel tendencies and socialist policies of Mayor Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Party.

This is to attack the Democratic Party's rival candidates by linking them to Mayor Mamdani.

Bruce Blakeman, the Republican candidate running for New York governor, describes Governor Cathy Hocal, a Democrat, as a politician who follows the same line as Mayor Mamdani.

Candidate Blakeman's election campaign even released an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated video showing Governor Hocal and Mayor Mamdani walking side by side.

In Republican Rep. Mike Lawler's district, the Republican Super PAC (Special Political Action Committee) ran an ad linking Democratic candidate Kate Conley to Mayor Mamdani.

Mike Rippetri, a Republican candidate running for the Long Island constituency, also attacked Mayor Mamdani.

The strategy is to instill in voters the perception that the Democratic Party has shifted too far to the left.

However, this election strategy is shaking as President Trump recently met with Mayor Mamdani.

After meeting with Mayor Mamdani at the New York mayor's residence on the 23rd, President Trump said, "It has tremendous potential" and hoped for success.

This is the exact opposite of the Republican candidates who are sniping at Mayor Mamdani.

The friendly relationship between President Trump and Mayor Mamdani began at the first meeting held at the White House in November of last year.

At their second meeting in February, the two discussed revamping zoning regulations to promote housing development in New York City. A recent meeting also discussed building thousands of homes on a rail depot in Queens.

Candidate Blakeman's position is that the meeting between President Trump and Mayor Mamdani will not affect the election.

He said, “The president is the highest public official in the United States, and the mayor is also a public official, so it is natural for the two to talk.”

There is a response within the Republican Party that the burden on candidates in close contests in New York has increased due to President Trump's remarks.

A Republican official who requested anonymity pointed out that President Trump's favorable review of Mayor Mamdani was "a very unfavorable situation for Blakeman."

Republican candidates are sticking to their strategy of attacking the Democratic Party's leftward shift, but the effectiveness of using Mayor Mamdani as a symbolic target of attack has been diminished.