Victory Bitter as Beer: Mamdani’s ‘Socialist’ Bash Draws Fire Over $13 Bud Lights – Campaign Volunteers Cry Foul
By Lila Harper, Political Entertainment Correspondent November 8, 2025
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The confetti had barely settled from Zohran Mamdani’s historic mayoral triumph when the afterparty turned sour for one unpaid volunteer: a $13 tab for a Bud Light at the socialist’s victory bash. The 34-year-old democratic socialist’s election night extravaganza at the opulent Brooklyn Paramount—complete with Fat Joe DJ sets, sequined supporters, and Cynthia Nixon toasts—promised “mandate for change” vibes, but delivered sticker shock at the cash bar, sparking a viral backlash that exposes the irony of a “free everything” candidate charging premium for Pabst.
The grumbling started hours after NY1 called the race Tuesday, with Mamdani’s 50.4% ranked-choice romp over Andrew Cuomo etching him as NYC’s youngest mayor since 1892 and first Muslim immigrant to boot. Inside the gilded venue—refurbished with crystal chandeliers and velvet drapes—2,000 revelers moshed to bangers, waved “Freeze the Rents” signs, and chanted “Tax the Rich!” as Hasan Piker and Grace Lee hyped the crowd. But amid the elation—Fat Joe dropping “What’s Luv?” at 11:37 p.m.—the bar became the buzzkill. Politico’s Jeff Coltin, live-tweeting from the floor, flagged the menu: $13 PBRs, $16 Montauk Summer Ales, $15 Rieslings, $22 espresso martinis, and $10 pretzel dogs.
Enter the anonymous whistleblower: A progressive campaign worker, who toiled door-to-door in Queens for months on Mamdani’s $12 million grassroots machine, vented to Off the Press: “I arrived thinking everything would be free, only to be charged $13 for a Bud Light. I was shocked after all the hard work I put in.” The quote, splashed across conservative outlets by Friday, ignited a meme storm: “Socialism for thee, but not for me—$13 for the proletariat’s pint?” one X user snarked, racking up 220 likes and 131 reposts. @janninereid1, the self-proclaimed “MagaMemeQueen,” amplified it with a snake emoji: “What did they expect from a snake?”—drawing 5,825 views.
Mamdani’s camp, still riding high on a coalition of young voters (70% under-35), Latinos, and DSA diehards who flipped Bronx precincts, dismissed the dust-up as “trolling from the billionaire class.” A spokesperson told The Guardian: “The Paramount’s standard pricing covered venue costs—no taxpayer dollars, no hypocrisy. Volunteers were offered free merch and snacks; the bar was optional.” Indeed, the night featured complimentary pimple-patch swag, “Hot Gays for Zohran” buttons, and a mosh pit to Lil Nas X, but the cash bar—stocked with Hampton Water rosé at $13 a glass—stung for unpaid foot soldiers expecting a post-campaign perk.
The irony isn’t lost on critics. Mamdani’s platform—universal childcare, fare-free MTA, rent freezes—promised “affordability for all,” funded by a 2% millionaire tax hike. Yet his bash, bankrolled by $12 million in small donors (plus $3 million from Soros-linked PACs, per FEC filings), opted for a for-profit bar amid a $100 million city deficit. Conservative firebrands pounced: Hannity.com’s “Sickle-and-Dimed” screed mocked the “pricey pretzels for the proletariat,” while Townhall quipped it was “socialism’s first hangover.” @davedefi_ piled on X: “Promises free buses… but $13 Bud Light? That’s not socialism.”
X’s outrage machine churned: #MamdaniBeerGate trended with 150,000 posts, blending mockery (“Free stuff for voters, not volunteers!”) and policy jabs (“Can’t even comp a Coors for canvassers?”). @LexisNAkah’s viral repost of the worker’s quote hit 31 views, spawning replies like “True colors revealed!” Progressives pushed back: @mandala_mandy defended the “standard venue rates,” but got drowned in 235 views of conservative schadenfreude.
| Drink | Price | Irony Level |
|---|---|---|
| Bud Light | $13 | High— “Free healthcare” candidate charges for hydration |
| PBR | $13 | Medium—Hipster staple at hipster prices |
| Montauk Ale | $16 | Low—Local craft, but ouch for unpaid staff |
| Espresso Martini | $22 | Peak— “Tax the rich” toast, paid by the poor |
The flap caps a chaotic victory lap. Mamdani’s speech—delivered to scream-cheers of “Gaza 5K!” and “Jews for Zohran”—vowed a “City Hall for the people,” but a screen-hijack flashing “Trump is your president” (courtesy of anonymous trolls) and ADL’s new antisemitism tip line targeting his pro-Palestine stance added edge. As NPR notes, Wall Street’s $40 million Cuomo bet flopped, leaving billionaires “reckoning” with a foe eyeing their wallets.
For the beer-bereft volunteer? A bitter chaser to unpaid labor in a $12 million machine. Mamdani’s team promises “lessons learned” for January’s inauguration, but the quip lingers: Socialism starts at the bar—open tab optional.
Politically incorrect truth: Mamdani’s “free everything” schtick is as genuine as a $13 PBR in Brooklyn—promise the moon to win, then bill the believers. Volunteers slaving for socialism deserve a complimentary Coors, not a capitalist cover charge. The left’s affordability crusade? Cute, until the tab hits your wallet. Hannity’s right: “Mamdani effect” indeed—depressed, scared, and thirsty.
