Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Socialist candidate who stunned New York�s political establishment with a primary victory in the city�s mayoral race, is facing a political firestorm after a video surfaced of him appearing to embrace the �abolition of private property.�

The undated clip, shared Thursday by the right-wing social media account �End Wokeness,� quickly ignited outrage across the conservative landscape�racking up views and drawing sharp rebukes from Republican lawmakers and commentators.

In the video, Mamdani argues that the current housing system is failing and floats an alternative: �If there was any system that could guarantee each person housing, whether you call it the abolition of private property or� just a statewide housing guarantee�it is preferable to what is going on right now.�

That comment was enough to send the GOP into overdrive.

�He is a communist,� declared Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), sharing the clip with a single, blistering line.

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) echoed the sentiment: �Yes, you heard that right� Like the true Communist he is, Commie Mamdani supports the �abolition of private property.� This is the NY Democrat Party, @KathyHochul, you lead�and you have failed to condemn this dangerous insanity.�

Donald Trump Jr. added his voice with biting sarcasm: �Yea, this guy is definitely not a communist.�

Mamdani�s campaign has not issued an official response, though the candidate�s remarks in the video suggest he anticipated the backlash:

�People try and play gotcha games about these kinds of things� I care more about whether somebody has a home.�

The controversy lands just weeks after Mamdani�s headline-grabbing primary victory over former Governor Andrew Cuomo, a race that catapulted the democratic socialist into the national spotlight. Now, with November�s general election looming, Mamdani faces not just his Republican challenger�but a growing campaign to paint him as a radical threat to economic norms.

Whether the viral moment galvanizes or damns his mayoral run remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: New York�s political battleground just got hotter.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)