"Stefanik, a MAGA loyalist, has given a series of interviews in which she knocks Hochul for endorsing Mamdani - and released an online video showing the governor and mayor-elect clasping hands at a campaign rally. She's expected to release additional Mamdani-focused ads, according to sources familiar with the campaign's strategy. Stefanik has plastered her social media feed with posts linking Mamdani to the governor. "Hochul will bend to the Communists!" she posted on Wednesday, the day after Mamdani's election."
"Stefanik's team says the strategy is aimed at winning over independents and moderate Democrats who may be alienated by Mamdani's brand of democratic socialism. It also notes that Mamdani barely surpassed 50% of the vote in the election, the lowest total for a winning candidate in a New York mayoral race in more than two decades. That, Stefanik's campaign argues, is an indication that in Democratic-friendly New York City - which in 2024 accounted for more than one-third of the statewide vote - there are a swath of voters who are unfavorable toward Mamdani and could turn on Hochul."
Stefanik is tying Governor Hochul to mayor-elect Mamdani and positioning herself as a check on the incoming mayor if elected in 2026. She has given interviews, released a video of Hochul and Mamdani clasping hands, and saturated social media with posts linking the two, including the message "Hochul will bend to the Communists!". The campaign plans additional Mamdani-focused ads to appeal to independents and moderate Democrats wary of Mamdani’s democratic socialism. Stefanik’s team emphasizes Mamdani barely surpassed 50% of the vote, arguing many New York City voters are unfavorable toward him. The strategy seeks to force Hochul into a bind over tax increases and turnout coalitions, a complication amplified by a primary challenge from Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, who supports tax hikes on the wealthy.
Read at Axios
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