“That Ain’t What America Is”: Amid Zohran Mamdani’s NYC Mayor Win, Stephen A. Smith’s Opposing Comments Resurface

Zohran Mamdani (D) is officially the new Mayor of New York City, and Stephen A. Smith is not very happy about it. The democratic nominee beat the independent former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (I) and the Republican contender Curtis Sliwa. Cuomo used to be a Democrat who resigned in disgrace as Governor of New York following sexual misconduct allegations in 2021.

Mamdani ran what was considered a refreshing grassroots campaign, in which he aimed to listen to the issues of everyday New Yorkers. However, some people in New York and in the US as a whole have raised concerns about his self-branding as a socialist. Socialism and communism have long been sins in a country defined by its capitalist identity and its decades-long fight against international communism in the 20th century.

Among the individuals who worry about Mamdani’s association with socialism is Stephen A. Smith. In the midst of what was a successful election night for the Democratic Party, comments made by Smith months ago, saying that socialism isn’t the way to go for the Dems, have resurfaced.

“Ladies and gentlemen, let me be very, very clear: If the Democratic Party becomes the likes of Zohran Mamdani — who, by the way, I like, not trying to throw any shade on him or anything like that — but if the Democratic Party becomes him, you have no chance,” Smith said. “You have no chance — on a national basis in terms of the presidency. In Senate seats, seats in the House — you have no chance. You have no chance. I want to be very, very clear about that.”

“You might have a democratic socialist sprinkled here and there — but that ain’t what America is! America is about capitalism! America is about dollars and cents! America is about an economy, a flourishing economy, okay!?” he continued. “And you know what it’s not about!? Free stuff. Somebody gotta say it, so I’m gon’ say it,” he added.

A Successful Night for Zohran Mamdani and Democrats as a Whole

Election night 2025 could be seen as somewhat of a repudiation of President Donald Trump’s (R) second term. The democrats dominated the few races that were available this night. Zorhan Mamdani’s victory isn’t surprising because the Democrats won, or that New York has long been a stronghold of the party, but due to how he easily defeated a more traditional former democrat like Cuomo and Mayor Eric Adams (in the democratic primaries).

It signals the party’s willingness to embrace socialism. However, it’s also important to say that the men he beat, Cuomo and Adams, aren’t the democrats with the best public persona. Mamdani is the first Muslim-American to be the Mayor of New York.

The Democrats won other important races, with Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill winning the gubernatorial races of Virginia and New Jersey. Californians also approved the redistricting of their state, proposed by Governor Gavin Newsom (D) to combat the redistricting of Texas done by republicans earlier in the year.

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