Texas Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to impose a “100% tariff” on New Yorkers looking to escape to the Lone Star State if democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani wins the Big Apple’s mayoral election on Tuesday.
“After the polls close tomorrow night, I will impose a 100% tariff on anyone moving to Texas from NYC,” the Republican governor wrote on X Monday afternoon.
Abbott did not elaborate, and it was not immediately clear why he sought to punish new residents of his state. It was also unclear how he would impose such a tariff.
Mamdani’s policies have long sparked fears of a citywide exodus, with 7% of those earning more than $250,000 a year saying in a new poll that they would definitely leave the city if he wins. That figure is particularly significant because the top 1% of earners in New York pay approximately half of the city’s income taxes.
A Daily Mail poll found that if Mamdani wins, nearly 800,000 New York City residents are planning to flee, with another 25% of New Yorkers saying they would “consider” leaving if the Democrat nominee clinches the race.
If that number of people were to leave, it would be equivalent to the entire population of Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, or Seattle fleeing the city.
On Monday, President Donald Trump gave a last-minute endorsement in the race, throwing his support behind former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who launched an independent bid after losing the Democratic primary to Mamdani in June.
“Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“You must vote for him, and hope he does a fantastic job. He is capable of it, Mamdani is not!”
The president also threatened to withhold federal funds from the city if Mamdani wins Tuesday’s election.
“If Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the Election for Mayor of New York City, it is highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required, to my beloved first home because of the fact that, as a Communist, this once great City has ZERO chance of success, or even survival!” Trump said.
“It can only get worse with a Communist at the helm, and I don’t want to send, as President, good money after bad.”
“It is my obligation to run the Nation, and it is my strong conviction that New York City will be a Complete and Total Economic and Social Disaster should Mamdani win,” he continued.
“I would much rather see a Democrat, who has had a Record of Success, WIN, than a Communist with no experience and a Record of COMPLETE AND TOTAL FAILURE.”
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