Bernie Sanders rips Dem leaders for snubbing Mamdani in mayoral race: 'This is our guy!'

The independent senator from Vermont criticized New York Democratic leaders, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, for refusing to endorse Mamdani in the heated race for Gracie Mansion. 

"One might think that if a candidate starting at 2% in the polls gets 50,000 volunteers, creates enormous excitement, gets young people involved in the political process, gets nontraditional voters to vote, Democratic leaders would be jumping up and down. This is our guy!" 

Sanders called his party's lack of support "strange" and made his stance on the direction of the party clear: "We got another fight on our hands, and that is the future of the Democratic Party."

The Brooklyn native capitalized on the event as an opportunity to pressure New York Democrats to rally behind their nominee. Mamdani is fielding challenges from two independent candidates, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, as well as the Republican nominee, Curtis Sliwa.

"There's been so much speculation about what I'm going to do. I think the bigger question is what the voters of New York want to do. I vote in Buffalo, New York, just for the record. I'm not a New York City - I'm here part-time. But listen, it is up to the voters and there should not be outside influences on this decision from the White House on down. Let the voters of New York decide," Hochul told Fox News' Shannon Bream. 

"Stay tuned. We'll see what happens," Hochul added regarding an endorsement. 

Schumer and Jeffries did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. 

As Sanders rallied New Yorkers for Mamdani, the town hall wasn't without its detractors. "You are a communist!" one protester yelled at Mamdani as he addressed the crowd. 

Sanders, a two-time Democratic presidential nominee runner-up, was an early endorser of Mamdani's primary campaign, along with Ocasio-Cortez. Their endorsements helped Mamdani consolidate progressive support in the 11-candidate field during the final weeks of the primary campaign.

While Sanders' "Fighting Oligarchy" tour seemed for a time a glimmer of hope for a fractured party, Mamdani's surprising primary win this summer seems to have reignited that Democratic base in a new, albeit more progressive, direction.