Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., told Newsmax on Tuesday that New York City is headed for a "rude awakening" following the swearing-in of democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani as the city's new mayor, citing Mamdani's embrace of collectivist ideology as a red flag.
Appearing on "Rob Schmitt Tonight," Schmitt said Mamdani's rhetoric shows an adherence to ideas that have repeatedly failed wherever they've been tried.
"This hasn't worked anywhere. It's been tried," he said.
"And you just saw even in his acceptance speech with Mamdani talking about ridding ourselves of rugged individualism in favor of the warm embrace of collectivism, or whatever he said, it's totally insane."
During his address, Mamdani pledged to replace what he called "the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism," parroting a "loaded ideological term with a long, well-documented pedigree and an even longer rap sheet," according to the Cato Institute.
Schmitt said that philosophy is precisely why New Yorkers should be concerned.
"I think New York is in for a rude awakening," he said. "It just doesn't really work."
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