WASHINGTON — Lefty California Rep. Ro Khanna has told The Post that socialist New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is too radical even for him on at least one major issue — his commie economics.
Khanna, a self-described “progressive capitalist,” said in an exclusive interview Monday that Mamdani went too far by expressing support for “seizing the means of production” as recently as 2021 and claimed he “strongly disagreed” with the notion.
“I believe, obviously, in innovation and free enterprise,” Khanna said.
Still, the California Dem insisted Gotham will fare just fine economically under Mamdani’s leadership, although he said he already warned the incoming mayor to face crime head-on — and to “go overboard’’ in reassuring Jewish residents he’ll protect them.
“I think the biggest place — and I’ve told him this directly — that he can’t mess up is on crime,” Khanna said, adding that he urged Mamdani to reassure NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch that his term won’t ignore public-safety issues.
Mamdani denied while campaigning that he still supported “defunding the police” but has since tapped a lefty political strategist who backs the anti-cop movement.
Former top brass at the NYPD warned before the election that officers may even begin fleeing the force if Mamdani won.
Influential city rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, in a chilling sermon after the election, also claimed Mamdani’s victory could “severely threaten Jewish safety everywhere in the city.”
“I think he needs to go overboard in assuring the Jewish-American community they’re going to be safe,” Khanna said of Mamdani, who has been accused of being an antisemite.
But Khanna sought to reassure voters that he expects Mamdani will be a “pragmatic” mayor in Gracie Mansion — and resist being overly “ideological.
“His election was a sea change in what’s electable,” the Silicon Valley Democrat said. “I mean, if a guy like him can win, wow. I didn’t think he would win. … I did after the primary.”
Mamdani’s platform focused on issues of affordability and the economy, with campaign promises to subsidize government-run grocery stores, freeze rents and cover bus fares for New Yorkers — all while raising taxes on corporations by up to 11.5% annually.
“New York is going to be great. I mean, it’s the financial capital of the world,” Khanna said, claiming Mamdani was “not talking about controlling the financial capital or tech companies.
“He’s saying, ‘Look, people need to get rent that they can’t afford. People need to have childcare that they can afford. People need to have food that they can afford.’
“I call myself an FDR Democrat,” Khanna said.
“I call myself a progressive capitalist. I believe in moral capitalism. But I believe that it has not been working for too many Americans right now.”
