Staff Reports
Aber Kawas’s win in the Democratic primary for the open New York State Senate seat in western Queens has made one thing clear: Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s endorsements are powerful, and they come with consequences. Kawas prevailed over Assemblymember Steven Raga and now heads into a general election in a heavily Democratic district. But it’s the resurfaced video from a 2017 panel — where Kawas tied the 9/11 attacks to “the system of capitalism and racism, and white supremacy” — that has set off a firestorm. Voters deserve straight answers, not woven excuses.
Primary victory and the 2017 remarks
Aber Kawas won the Democratic primary to replace State Senator Mike Gianaris, and she did it by a comfortable margin. That victory is the news. But reporters and opponents are replaying a short clip from 2017 in which Kawas said structural forces and U.S. policies help explain violent blowback like 9/11. She also said it was “reprehensible” that Americans are pressed to apologize for a terror attack while not apologizing for historical wrongs. Those are her words, and they deserve scrutiny now that she could be a state senator.
Mamdani endorsements and the DSA sweep
Mayor Zohran Mamdani backed a slate of DSA‑aligned candidates, and many of them won. That matters because endorsements shape who gets power in Albany. Progressive groups and big outside money pushed hard for these picks. Voters should ask whether the people Mamdani and the DSA lift up reflect mainstream values or a fringe intellectual line that blames America first. Kawas’s background — including study of Islamic liberation theology and long work in Arab and Muslim community organizing — is part of her profile. Supporters call it principled; critics call it a worrying echo chamber.
Why the 9/11 comments are not just history
There’s debate about causes and consequences of foreign policy. Reasonable people can discuss mistakes and lessons. But saying 9/11 was a manifestation of “capitalism and racism” reads as tone-deaf to the victims and dangerous to public trust. This wasn’t a policy paper; it was a moment in which the candidate seemed to minimize the role of Islamist terrorists who planned and carried out mass murder. That matters for a lawmaker who will vote on public safety, counterterrorism grants, and immigrant community outreach. Voters should expect clarity, not academic framing that sounds like political cover.
What voters should watch next
Kawas is likely to win the general election in a deep-blue district unless something unusual happens. So the real question is whether she will clarify those remarks and explain how she will protect all New Yorkers while representing immigrant communities. Mayor Mamdani should also explain why he backed candidates whose past comments so easily inflame the rest of the city. In politics, endorsements carry responsibility. If Kawas wants to be a credible senator, she needs to meet the voters who are worried and answer their questions plainly. Silence, in this case, won’t be forgiven — nor should it be.
