An ex-NYPD lieutenant who supported Republicans for years has changed\u00a0his tune and is now singing the praises of Mayor Zohran Mamdani as he seeks\u00a0a lefty state assembly seat.<\/p>\n
Shamsul Haque is hopping onto the Mamdani bandwagon \u2014 showering the Democratic Socialist New York City mayor with praise \u2014 even though he and his Bangladeshi political group previously vehemently attacked such woke politicians and supported GOPers for years.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy group will vote Republican this November,\u201d Haque\u2019s organization \u201cRise Up New York City\u201d posted to X in February 2022.<\/p>\n
New York City Zohran Mamdani and his socialist pals have peddled woke anti-capitalist views for years.<\/p>\n
That same year, \u201cRise Up,\u201d commenting on a photo of Democratic Socialists of America officials including Mamdani, wrote, \u201cThis team will ruin NYS.\u201d<\/p>\n
Haque and \u201cRise Up\u201d supported and even campaigned alongside Brandon Castro \u2014 the Republican candidate for the 30th Assembly District seat he\u2019s now running for himself \u2014 in 2024.<\/p>\n
Since founding the group five years ago, Haque has posted numerous similar comments online about lefty politicians and groups such as the DSA and Working Families Party.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen water, heating bills, and property taxes are going up, how do you expect a rent freeze?\u201d Rise Up posted in 2023, responding to the the Working Families Party demanding a rent freeze.<\/p>\n
Wannabe state sssemblyman Shamsul Haque and his group \u201cRise Up New York City\u201d have traditionally bashed the left. Facebook \/ Shamsul Haque<\/p>\n
Mamdani speaks at an event with Haque seated next to him. Facebook \/ Shamsul Haque<\/p>\n
\u201cYour party has caused pain and suffering to working-class New Yorkers. Your party has supported extremist candidates in NYS,\u201d Haque claimed.<\/p>\n
Rise Up\u2019s X account also tweeted to DSA state Sen. Jabari Brisport (D-Brooklyn) in 2022, \u201cSometimes I wonder who is worse for our nation: Trump or DSA.\u201d<\/p>\n
But since declaring his assembly candidacy earlier this year, Haque has sharply pivoted toward supporting Hizzoner, including by hiring<\/a> his election lawyer and associate, Ali Najmi.<\/p>\n Haque and his group usually favor Republicans.<\/p>\n \u201cDSA is unequivocally in favor of taxing the rich, and I am in the same boat,\u201d he told City & State New York<\/a> in an interview after he announced his candidacy.<\/p>\n \u201cThey want to help the working-class people, and I\u2019m in the same boat because I, too, come from the working class,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n