A Friday report in Politico spells out how badly convicted felon President Trump’s succumbing to a behind-the-scenes charm offensive by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has screwed Empire State Republicans, leading with “Not too long ago, Republicans were salivating at the thought of using New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as a far-left boogeyman,” leaving them with “moderate Gov Kathy Hochul has emerged as the GOP’s go-to foil,” as though the competently bland, low-profile technocrat caucasian female without any defined vulnerabilities is somehow supposed to be the same grade of MAGA rage heroin as a Muslim socialist immigrant from Uganda.
“There’s not a Democrat in the party in a swing district who wants to be near her,” said an anonymous state Dem official, adding “Her numbers aren’t as bad as four years ago, but they’re certainly not good.” Of course chaining Dems to the governor invites the question of whether Republicans want to be chained to the Orange God Emperor. “I don’t think it’s anywhere near as potent as the president of the United States,” said consultant David Carlucci. “It is just a lash out as really one of the few options they have in terms of just playing the blame game.”