Republican senator relishes 'cray-cray' Mamdani's success: 'We've gotten lucky'

While New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's popularity continues to skyrocket, some Republican lawmakers are embracing it as a blessing in disguise.

Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana said his party has "gotten lucky" with Mamdani's nomination, arguing that the "cray-cray" candidate is driving more voters away from the Democratic Party.

'That’s bad for New York, but it’s certainly good for Republicans.'

"We’ve gotten lucky — bad for America, good for Republicans — with Mr. Mamdani in New York," Kennedy told NewsNation.

"If I didn’t know better, I would think he was a Republican plant," Kennedy added. "If I didn’t know better, I’d think that Republicans had created Mr. Mamdani in a petri dish in a genomics lab."

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Photo by Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

Critics of Mamdani, including Republicans and even his fellow Democrats, point to his leftist and socialist policies. Because of his extremism, high-profile New York Democrats like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have refrained from endorsing Mamdani entirely.

Kennedy said that although Mamdani's policies have alienated some voters, his candidacy has ultimately has benefited Republicans.

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"He’s clearly from what I call the Gary Busey wing — the cray-cray wing — of the Democratic Party," Kennedy said. "That’s bad for New York, but it’s certainly good for Republicans."

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