Zohran learns early how not to please everyone

"He has made it clear that outgoing Comptroller Brad Lander, erstwhile cross-endorser, will not have a place in his administration. In an attempt to find another way to support Lander's political future (or, to borrow language from the The New York Times, strategically uncouple) Mamdani has reportedly promised to back Lander's potential primary challenge to Rep. Dan Goldman. But doing so has irked his allies in the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America,"

""Mr. Mamdani has privately told Ms. Avilés that he would support and campaign for Mr. Lander if he ran," the Times reported on Friday, citing three anonymous sources. The day after that story broke, the NYC-DSA announced to members in an email that they had "voted to ratify" their endorsement of Avilés in her bid to unseat Goldman, setting up a potential battle between Lander and Avilés, the favored candidate of the organization that got Mamdani into City Hall."

""It's very surprising and it doesn't make sense," said one longtime DSA member of Mamdani's apparent support for Lander over Avilés. "I think (Mamdani's) just making moves and expecting people to fall in line because he's the supposed prince of the left." That's not the only way Mamdani is at odds with the left. His decision to retain billionaire NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch was not welcome news to many criminal justice reformers,"

Two weeks into his transition, Zohran Mamdani is already crosswise with several allies after making clear that outgoing Comptroller Brad Lander will not have a role in his administration. Mamdani reportedly promised to back Lander's potential primary challenge to Rep. Dan Goldman, a move that has upset the New York City Democratic Socialists of America, which endorsed City Council Member Alexa Avilés. Longtime DSA members expressed surprise and frustration at Mamdani's stance. Mamdani's decision to retain NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch drew criticism from criminal justice reformers, and some DSA members support Chi Ossé's rumored challenge to Rep. Hakeem Jeffries.

Read at City & State NY