GOP Rep. Gill to Socialist Mamdani: 'Go Back to the Third World'

After viewing a video of New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani eating with his hands, Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, told the democratic socialist to "go back to the Third World."

In the now-viral video, Mamdani was eating a bowl of rice with his hands while discussing why his political stance includes support for the Palestinian cause.

"Civilized people in America don't eat like this," Gill wrote on X. "If you refuse to adopt Western customs, go back to the Third World."

Mamdani, 33, declared victory in New York City's Democrat mayoral primary last week after former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo ended his political comeback by conceding the race. If elected, Mamdani would be the city's first Muslim and Indian American mayor.

Born to Indian parents in Kampala, Uganda, Mamdani lived in South Africa for a short time before immigrating to New York City when he was seven. He went to college in Maine and became an American citizen in 2018.

Conservative political activist Laura Loomer called the video of Mamdani eating with his hands "disgusting."

Writing on X, Loomer said that Mamdani "is from Africa. And you can tell in the way he eats. Disgusting. My dogs are cleaner and more civilized when they eat than little Muhammad."

Conservative attorney Marina Medvin said that Mamdani's method of eating was "gross. Just gross."

Others defended the mayoral hopeful, pointing out that many Americans eat foods like tacos, pizza, and burgers with their hands.

"Your wife is South Indian. She grew up eating rice with her hands," former Texas state Senate Democrat candidate Karthik Soora wrote on X in response to Gill. "You're literally marrying into it."

"Billions of people (quite literally) eat with their hands," journalist Yashar Ali fired back at Medvin. "You know who I have personally seen eat with their hands? Senior members of the Emirati ruling families. Marina often speaks in a laudatory tone about the Emiratis — she once suggested they should reform Palestinian culture. I'd like Marina to tell MBZ or Sheikh Hamdan, 'Gross, just gross.' But she would never, ever dare."

"Do you eat your hot dogs, chips, French fries, chicken tenders, tortilla chips, potato chips, tacos, pizza, sandwiches, oranges, watermelon, strawberries, apples, with a fork? I doubt it," journalist Zeynab Day said. "Scooping up with bread is NORMAL. Y'all are the weirdos."

Meanwhile, Mamdani discussed eating with his hands in public during an interview with Bon Appétit magazine earlier this month.

"I have to eat with my hands," he said at the time, reportedly wearing a suit while eating rice with his hands. "In Uganda we even eat salad with our hands."

New Yorkers will head to the polls to cast their ballots for the city's next mayor on Nov. 4.

Newsmax has reached out to the Mamdani campaign for comment.

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