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Since winning the Democratic primary in June, Mamdani has struggled to unify his fractured party. His radical brand of politics has alienated moderates, forcing top Democratic figures to tiptoe around his campaign for months. Both New York Governor Kathy Hochul and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries only recently—and reluctantly—offered their support.
Even Jeffries, speaking over the weekend, made it clear that Mamdani’s far-left ideology is not where he believes the Democratic Party should be heading. His remarks underscored what many Democrats fear privately: that embracing socialist candidates could doom the party’s future.
In a desperate last-minute move, Mamdani attempted to paint his opponent, independent candidate Andrew Cuomo, as “Donald Trump’s puppet.” He told reporters, “We have long known that Andrew Cuomo is Donald Trump’s puppet in this race,” just before blasting out a campaign statement attacking the supposed “endorsement.”
But Mamdani’s claim was false. President Trump never endorsed Cuomo. During his Sunday appearance on 60 Minutes, Trump made his position clear: “I’m not a fan of Cuomo one way or another, but if it’s going to be between a bad Democrat and a Communist,” he said, “I’m going to pick the bad Democrat all the time, to be honest with you.”
That remark alone was enough to send shockwaves through the left, as Trump once again showed his unmatched ability to dominate headlines with blunt honesty.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice made its own waves this week by announcing it will deploy election monitors to polling sites in six jurisdictions ahead of Tuesday’s elections. The DOJ claims the initiative is meant to ensure “transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal election laws.”
Attorney General Pamela Bondi said, “Transparency at the polls translates into faith in the electoral process, and this Department of Justice is committed to upholding the highest standards of election integrity. We will commit the resources necessary to ensure the American people get the fair, free, and transparent elections they deserve.”
According to the DOJ’s announcement, poll monitors will be stationed in Passaic County, New Jersey; Kern, Riverside, Fresno, Orange, and Los Angeles Counties in California. The effort will be led by the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, under Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon.
But not everyone is on board. California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom blasted the move, calling it political interference. “Donald Trump’s puppet DOJ has no business screwing around with next month’s election. Sending the feds into California polling places is a deliberate attempt to scare off voters and undermine a fair election. We will not back down. Californians decide our future — no one else,” Newsom wrote on X.
Critics were quick to point out the irony. For years, Democrats like Newsom have faced accusations of turning a blind eye to illegal voting practices in California—where millions of non-citizens reside. Many conservatives argue that federal oversight is long overdue to protect the integrity of the vote.
At a time when trust in elections is at an all-time low, the DOJ’s initiative could either restore faith in the process—or ignite yet another partisan firestorm. Either way, as the ballots are cast and the power struggles unfold, one thing is clear: the cracks in the Democratic Party are widening fast, and even Barack Obama seems unwilling to patch them up.
