The election of socialist Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York City isn’t just a political hiccup—it’s a glaring warning that we shouldn’t ignore. This isn’t an isolated event. Pretending like it’s an isolated problem won’t stop the rise of socialism in America, and using the socialist label isn’t the effective political cudgel we think it is.
Republicans like to think Mamdani’s win is a gift-wrapped opportunity to slap Gov. Kathy Hochul with a socialist label in hopes of unseating her. She is indeed weak, but the plan to link her to Mamdani’s as a strategy for victory won’t be as effective as we’d hoped.
How can we tell? Well, in a Tennessee district that voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump, socialist candidate Aftyn Behn is competitive with Republican candidate Matt Van Epps. If there’s any district where the socialist label should be political poison, this is it. Instead, Behn is tightening the race, threatening to embarrass the GOP’s traditional playbook and expose cracks in their anti-socialism strategy.
If you haven’t heard of Behn yet, you should know she’s unapologetically in favor of defunding the police and doubles down on it. She’s argued that American women should withhold having children until the government meets her demands. Not exactly a platform designed to charm the voters of a Trump stronghold.
What’s driving the rise of these candidates? Ironically, Bidenflation gave Democrats an affordability crisis to use as a talking point for even more government intervention. And there are enough Democrats out there willing to believe socialism is the answer to their problems.
ICYMI: The Left Must Take Responsibility for Its Dangerous Rhetoric
Make no mistake about it, Democrats are betting on affordability worries to propel their socialist agenda, convinced inflation and economic anxiety are their tickets to legitimacy. Some Democrats have convinced themselves that Donald Trump inviting Mamdani to the White House was an acknowledgement to this growing left-wing momentum.
More importantly, Democratic voters seem ready to embrace this brand of politics. “Americans are more positive toward capitalism than socialism, but the 54% viewing capitalism favorably is down from 60% in 2021 and near that level in most prior years,” explains Gallup. “Americans remain more negative (57%) than positive (39%) toward socialism, with little movement in these attitudes over time.” By party, a whopping 66% of Democrats have a positive view of socialism.
Even if Behn falls short in Tennessee, her competitive standing is a clear warning sign for Republicans everywhere. The GOP faces a future where socialist candidates won’t just be an abstract problem that doesn’t affect them. Before long, they’ll be actual contenders in primaries and general elections in countless districts. They may not always succeed, but each victory will push the Democratic Party further left, making it harder for Republicans to reclaim ground simply by shouting "socialism" as a curse word.
I’m sorry to say this, but the anti-socialism message isn’t enough anymore; it’s time for conservatives to rethink their strategy before the wave of socialism crashes over this country.
