The Democratic Socialists of America are fuming over “Squad” Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) meddling in Big Apple politics and going against a candidate that the mayor, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the party have endorsed for Mamdani’s old Assembly seat.
Tlaib is backing Queens candidate Rana Abdelhamidin in the upcoming Feb. 3 special election.
The Michigan congresswoman even traveled to Gotham to personally raise cash for Abdelhamid, 32, last month.
“We’re hosting a fundraiser in Astoria with Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, the first Palestinian-Muslim elected to Congress, to help elect the first Muslim woman to the NY State Assembly,” Abdelhamid announced on X in December. “This is how we build power.”
Tlaib told the crowd at the well-attended fundraiser: “You need to tell them that she’s not going to sell us out. We gotta make sure she gets elected. All of you should not leave without signing up to do doors. And if you can’t do doors, you’re going to make phone calls. And if you can’t make phone calls, you’re going to go get some people to donate money.”
Tlaib’s involvement comes despite the NYC chapter of the DSA, including Mamdani, endorsing Diana Moreno over Abdelhamid.
Both women are DSA members.
“It absolutely appears to be a play towards Muslim politics, and I don’t appreciate Rashida using that against our endorsed comrade,” raged one party member.
“This is absolutely unacceptable coming from a DSA-endorsed congresswoman,” complained another. “We need to hold Rashida Tlaib accountable for this. No DSA elected should be fundraising against another DSA-endorsed candidate.”
AOC, who also represents parts of Queens, was strangely mum on the race until this week, when she finally endorsed Moreno, 38.
“As a lifelong organizer, Diana understands the reality of working people in Queens and the need for an affordable New York for everyone,” Team AOC posted on X Thursday. “I know that she will bring that fight to Albany and am proud to support her campaign for New York’s 36th Assembly District.”
Moreno, an Ecuadorian-born Queens organizer who’s held leadership roles with the DSA including Queens co-chair, worked on Mamdani’s 2020 campaign for state assembly and was key in getting a slew of other socialists elected to office.
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