House Republicans are reportedly considering ways to prevent New York City mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani from taking office if he wins Tuesday’s election, invoking the Constitution’s post–Civil War “insurrection clause.”
The New York Young Republican Club is leading the charge, claiming Mamdani’s past remarks urging people to “resist ICE” and his ties to left-wing groups may amount to “giving aid or comfort to the enemies” of the U.S.—a phrase directly from Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.
That clause, created in 1868, prohibits anyone who has “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” or aided enemies of the United States from holding public office.
The group argues this provision could be used to legally challenge Mamdani’s eligibility, though no formal legal action has yet been filed.
Mamdani, an outspoken progressive, has not yet responded to the effort, which has sparked debate over whether the post–Civil War law can be applied to modern political speech.
