"We're not talking a Sammy Sosa situation" - Conservative commentator slips in subtle dig at Cubs legend during Zohran Mamdani's mayoral race analysis

Conservative political commentator Patrick Bet-David used Sammy Sosa's name in a baseball analogy to make a point about voting trends while analysing New York City's 2025 mayoral race. Zohrani Mamdani is leading the race, followed by Curtis Sliwa and Andrew Cuomo.

Bet-David highlighted how Mamdani is winning support from Black and Latino voters despite not sharing their background, and slipped in a pointed reference to the Cubs Hall of Famer. Sosa's post-career controversies about skin lightening had become a cultural talking point.

"Mamdani holds a dominant 20-point lead in the race, bolstered by majority support from Black, Latino, and Asian voters," Bet-David said on the "PBD podcast" on Saturday [Timestamp 0:20].

Bet-David then pointed out Mamdani’s growing support from Black and Hispanic voters, using Sosa as a metaphor to hammer home his point.

"53 per cent of Black voters support Mamdani compared to 21 per cent of Cuomo and 10% of Adams," Bet-David said. "Black voters are choosing Mamdani over Adams, and Adams is Black. Okay, so we're not talking like a Sammy Sosa situation here. Even though Mamdani is not Black, they're supporting him more."

By invoking Sosa, Bet-David possibly signalled that Mamdani's appeal to Black voters wasn't about changing identity. Sosa, once an icon for Black and Latino fans, became the centre of debate after visibly lightening his skin tone post-retirement.

Sosa had confirmed he used a skin-bleaching cream as a moisturiser that lightened his skin tone. Many critics saw it as a symbol of assimilation and rejection of identity.

Donald Trump had taken a subtle dig at Sammy Sosa

Donald Trump has had a cordial relationship with Sammy Sosa. Trump even threw the ceremonial first pitch to Sosa at a Cubs vs. White Sox game at Wrigley Field in July 2000.

However, Trump used Sosa's name to criticise Kamal Harris before the 2024 US presidential election. Speaking on the "PBD podcast" in October, Trump and Patrick Bet-David joked about Harris' racial and ethnic identity, invoking Sosa.

"I thought she was Indian until a couple months ago," Bet-David said [Timestamp 24:24]. "Things changed because if you follow baseball, Sammy Sosa kind of, you know, you sometimes have to respect people. They change, right? So I thought maybe she was doing a Sammy Sosa the other way."

Trump agreed with Bet-David, replying:

"Yeah Sammy's changed. And people change."

The comments had stirred controversy at the time. Nevertheless, Trump went on to win the election. Questioning Harris' ethnicity had been a central part of Trump's strategy leading up to the vote.

About the author

Safeer M S is a baseball journalist at Sportskeeda, having delved into the sport professionally since 2024. His journey into baseball was sparked by Shohei Ohtani’s remarkable MLB performances, which ignited his passion for the game. Safeer’s enthusiasm for fantasy baseball further fueled his engagement with the sport.

Safeer supports baseball stars like Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, and Aaron Judge, with Shohei Ohtani's dual-threat dominance being his most memorable baseball moment. He admires Willie Mays for his athleticism and historic achievements in pinch-hitting and stealing bases.

In addition to his baseball expertise, Safeer is deeply passionate about combat sports, which he has been reporting on since 2022. His journey into combat sports began with Karate lessons in school, followed by boxing training. Films like Rocky 4, Never Back Down, and Warrior inspired his love for MMA, and witnessing Demetrious Johnson's victory over Kyoji Horiguchi solidified his commitment to the sport.

When not immersed in sports, Safeer enjoys playing football, working out, and watching anime or thriller movies.

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Edited by Safeer M S