With New York City on the brink of what some are calling a political earthquake, Texas Governor Greg Abbott is already sharpening his response. The looming possibility that Zohran Mamdani — a self-described Democratic Socialist and vocal critic of U.S. foreign policy toward Israel — could clinch the mayoralty of America’s largest city has sent shockwaves well beyond the five boroughs. And Abbott, never one to miss a chance to contrast Texas with the progressive Northeast, wasted no time drawing the battle lines.
“After the polls close tomorrow night, I will impose a 100% tariff on anyone moving to Texas from NYC,” Abbott posted to X on Monday, pairing political satire with a blunt message: Don’t bring New York’s politics here.
After the polls close tomorrow night, I will impose a 100% tariff on anyone moving to Texas from NYC.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) November 3, 2025
Though tongue-in-cheek, Abbott’s jab is far more than internet humor. It’s a continuation of his ongoing campaign to frame Texas as the ideological antidote to progressive urban governance. For Abbott, the idea of Mamdani — a politician whose platform openly aligns with far-left policies and carries Islamist sympathies — running New York City isn’t just a local problem. It’s a national warning sign.
In recent years, Abbott has fused the mechanics of state governance with cultural confrontation, particularly when it comes to education and immigration. He has cast Texas universities as ideological battlegrounds, vowing to eliminate what he calls “leftist indoctrination” and restoring what he views as academic rigor. That campaign has manifested in curriculum audits, faculty scrutiny, and legislative pushes aimed squarely at what conservatives see as radical ideological overreach in higher ed.
Immigration has been another key front. In 2022 alone, Abbott authorized the transport of nearly 16,000 migrants to progressive-run cities like New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago — not merely as a logistical measure, but as a calculated political statement. Even some Democrats, including former New York Governor David Paterson, grudgingly acknowledged the effectiveness of the move, calling it a “brilliant” way to spotlight federal failures on immigration while turning the spotlight back on sanctuary city hypocrisy.
Univ. of Texas professor was dismissed from an administrative post overseeing university academic affairs because of ideological differences.
Texas is targeting professors who are more focused on pushing leftist ideologies rather than preparing students to lead our nation.
We…
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) October 19, 2025
Now, with the possibility of a Mamdani-led New York City — a city that would likely lean even further left on policing, housing, and foreign policy — Abbott’s message is clear: if progressives want to experiment with radical leadership, they’ll have to live with the consequences. Texas, he suggests, won’t be the escape hatch.
Whether Mamdani actually wins or not, the dynamic between red-state leaders like Abbott and blue-state experiments like New York’s remains central to America’s cultural and political divide. And Abbott, as ever, is proving himself a master of governing with one hand — and wielding the culture war with the other.
