Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani attends the New York City Democratic Mayoral Primary Debate at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in the Gerald W. Lynch Theater, in New York City, U.S., June 12, 2025. Vincent Alban/Pool via REUTERS
A MAGA lawmaker from New York claimed on Fox News on Wednesday night that Democratic state lawmakers can't tell him apart from New York City's surprise mayoral primary election winner Zohran Mamdani, and suggested it could be due to their beards.
Mamdani made waves late Tuesday, poised to complete a stunning upset win in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor. Mamdani was leading with 44% of the ballots to Andrew Cuomo’s 36%, prompting Cuomo to concede the race and congratulate Mamdani on his victory.
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) made the eyebrow-raising claim on Laura Ingraham's eponymous show, after the Fox News host asked the congressman whether it was true the two were "often confused" in the state Assembly.
"I don't know why that would be," she added.
Lawler chuckled as he tried to explain.
"Yes. We both have a beard and darker hair. Even some of my Assembly colleagues on the Democratic side would go up to him thinking it was me. It was quite fascinating."
Mamdani is a 33-year-old self-described democratic socialist who was born in Uganda. His father is an Indian-born Ugandan, and his mother is an Indian-American filmmaker.
Lawler is of Irish and Italian descent and was raised a in New York.
"What was it like? Did you ever talk to him?" asked Ingraham.
"We got along. He's very charming, very charismatic, very personable," Lawler said.
When Ingraham said that's "part of the plan," Lawler said Mamdani "bamboozled" voters into "believing what he's trying to sell."
Watch the clip below or at this link.
Ingraham: Is it true that you and Zohran Mamdani were often confused with each other?
Lawler: Yes. We both have a beard pic.twitter.com/BIzt5uliAK
— Acyn (@Acyn) June 25, 2025