This story was originally published by The Throckmorton Initiative
Warren Throckmorton
The Throckmorton Initiative
June 29th, 2025
Christian nationalists are really big mad over Zohran Mamdani. According to some of them, Mamdani won the New York City Democratic mayoral primary last week because somebody forgot to check the migration properly. For instance, Trump’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Stephen Miller had this reaction to Mamdini’s election:
The commentary about NYC Democrats nominating an anarchist-socialist for Mayor omits one point: how unchecked migration fundamentally remade the NYC electorate. Democrats change politics by changing voters. That’s how you turn a city that defined US dominance into what it is now.
Well, the commentary doesn’t omit it any longer. He doesn’t say, but I wonder what about the migration wasn’t checked properly.
Right wing author Megan Basham added, “Unchecked immigration led to a socialist Muslim mayor in London. Now it’s leading to one in New York.”
Charlie Kirk chimed in with “The lesson from New York City is that BOTH illegal and legal immigration can ruin your country. It’s not just the open border, it’s also our suicidal mass LEGAL migration policies bringing in over 1 million people a year: green cards, chain migration, refugee resettlement, anchor babies, and asylum scams. This all needs to be ended.”
What is driving all of this hysteria? Mamdani isn’t holding New York hostage, he won an election. It seems to me that fear is what is motivating this outrage.
In a timely episode of Telling Jefferson Lies out today, I discuss the topic of fear and Christian nationalism with sociologist Andrew Whitehead. Whitehead, along with Joseph Baker have examined the relationship between fears of racial and ethnic replacement and Christian nationalism. Fear of a future where white people are not the majority is predicted by Christian nationalist beliefs. In this episode we break down those findings.
The situation with Mamdani illustrates what I discuss with Andrew and I hope you will tune in.
There is some history in this episode as well. I also cite eighteenth-century Supreme Court justice James Iredell’s defense of the no religious test clause and his prediction that the U.S. may elect Muslims to office under certain conditions. He certainly doesn’t advocate trying to prevent such a future and defends a broad understanding a religious liberty.
We should do the same.
Warren Throckmorton retired from Grove City College. He now writes about Christian nationalism, religion, history, and politics at The Throckmorton Initiative. To learn more about subscribing to The Throckmorton Initiative, click here.
