Mamdani, touting RI socialist’s victory, answers question of ‘What is the Democratic Party?’

NYC mayor points to ‘rent stabilization’ as paramount issue for Providence’s Democratic voters

September 10, 2026 10:19am EDT / Fox News

By Eric Mack

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani says Rhode Island State Rep. David Morales’ Providence mayoral primary victory as evidence voters support rent stabilization policies.

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Democratic socialist David Morales’ victory in Rhode Island’s mayoral primary Wednesday night got the attention of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who says it is evidence of where the party as a whole is headed as November’s midterm elections draw near.

“I think it comes back to what I’ve said before, which is what is the Democratic Party, if not its voters?” Mamdani asked during a Thursday morning news conference on the first day of school in his city.

“We’re seeing that the voters across this country are eager for not only a change, but also for a vision of something that we are fighting for,” Mamdani added. “And, you know, I’ve spoken a lot about childcare this morning. I’ve often couched it as the second driver of the cost of living crisis. The first driver is housing.”

MAMDANI CLAIMS DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS CAN WIN ‘ANYWHERE’ AS DEMOCRATS FEUD OVER PARTY’S FUTURE

Mayor Zohran Mamdani has promised to enact a four-year rent freeze on rent-stabilized units in New York City.(Yuki Iwamura-Pool/Getty Images)

Mamdani was hailing a new free education program for 2,000 needy families, as Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled a pledge for $425 million more in next year’s state budget to expand early childhood programs, including services for families with disabilities.

At the end of Thursday’s news conference, Mamdani responded to a question about Morales, a 27-year-old state representative and Democratic socialist who defeated one-term Providence Mayor Brett Smiley, 47, in the Democratic primary.

Republicans hold no seats on the Providence City Council, and Democrats make up a majority of registered voters in the city. Former Vice President Kamala Harris beat President Donald Trump in the city by 51 points in 2024.

Mamdani hailed Morales’ campaign for rent stabilization and affordability in the deep-blue city.

MAMDANI RIPPED OVER RECORD-HIGH NYC RENTS WITH CRITICS POINTING TO POLICY THEY SAY IS FUELING CRISIS

State Rep. David Morales, 27, hails the democratic socialist platform and movement for a stunning victory over a Providence mayoral incumbent in the Democratic primary Wednesday night.(David DelPoio/The Providence Journal/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Democratic socialist David Morales, 27, will be a heavy favorite in the deep-blue city of Providence against a 77-year-old Republican opponent in the general election.(David DelPoio/The Providence Journal/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

“The little that I do know about this soon-to-be new mayor is that one of the central issues in his race was around rent stabilization and around the importance of delivering on affordability, not just as a goal, but as a result,” Mamdani concluded. “And what we’ve seen is that his constituents agreed with exactly that.”

Morales, who was endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., won roughly 54% of the vote to Smiley’s 46%, ousting the incumbent after one term. If he wins the November general election, Morales would become Providence’s youngest mayor.

“Few believed that a 27-year-old democratic socialist could ever, few believed that we could ever take on big money, corporate real estate interests and endless attack ads — and we took them on and we won,” Morales said in his victory speech.

SOCIALIST SURGE: MAMDANI FLEXES GROWING POLITICAL MUSCLE AS HE TAKES ON DEM ESTABLISHMENT

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6399643330112

The Providence contest unfolded amid a broader debate within the Democratic Party over the influence of democratic socialists and progressive candidates. Housing costs and rent control were key issues in the primary, with Morales backing rent control while Smiley argued that the policy could discourage development.

Providence rents have risen sharply since 2020 and the race centered on how to address the city’s housing affordability crisis.

Republicans, particularly Vice President JD Vance, argue that former President Joe Biden’s open border policies and blue-state sanctuary for illegal migrants brought exploding demand for a finite supply of housing in Democratic-run sanctuary cities like Providence.

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6399247660112

“The city of Providence must use every tool that we have at our disposal to defend our immigrant community and protect us from the fascist ICE agents,” Morales said in his primary victory speech.

Eric Mack is a breaking news reporter and writer Sunday through Thursday, 6 a.m. ET to 2 p.m. ET, with a particular interest in stories that lead the news cycle on politics, elections, foreign affairs and government.