Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) weighed in on the New York City mayoral race Wednesday, calling former Governor Andrew Cuomo the “lesser of two evils” compared to Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani.
“This is a choice for New Yorkers. And, ultimately, they have to choose, you know, between the lesser of two evils. And in this instance, between Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo, it’s not even close,” Lawler told radio host Sid Rosenberg on WABC radio’s “Sid & Friends In The Morning.”
Mamdani, who defeated Cuomo in the June Democratic primary, leading Cuomo to run as an independent, has faced criticism over his far-left positions and his anti-Israel stance. This includes his criticism of Israel on October 8, 2023 - just one day after the Hamas massacre in southern Israel, as well as his refusal to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada”.
He also recently declared that he would stop using the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)’s working definition of antisemitism.
In addition, Mamdani has repeatedly accused Israel of war crimes in its battle against Hamas in Gaza, and has vowed to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits New York City, citing the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued against Netanyahu - even though the US is not a member of the ICC.
He has also come under fire after publicly campaigning with Brooklyn Imam Siraj Wahhaj, a figure named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.