Caroline Shinkle eyes flipping deep-blue NYC district
Caroline Shinkle, a Republican candidate for New York's 12th Congressional District, discusses her uphill battle to flip a deep-blue Manhattan seat.
In Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s New York City, one Republican congressional candidate running in one of the bluest districts in the country says conservative principles can save the city from being "run into the ground."
"Mamdani does not represent where voters in my district are on the issues," Caroline Shinkle, a Republican running in New York’s 12th Congressional District, told Fox News Digital. "He's really gone from incompetence to active destruction, and we see this from the targeting of Ken Griffin to Goldman Sachs choosing to expand elsewhere, from socialism to antisemitism to crime to an out-of-control cost of living."
"This is no way to run a city unless you're trying to run it into the ground," she added.
Shinkle said she believes voters in the deep-blue district are increasingly rejecting progressive politics as concerns over crime and the cost of living continue to grow.
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Caroline Shinkle, a Republican running in New York’s 12th Congressional District, criticized Mayor Zohran Mamdani over rising living costs. (Caroline Shinkle/Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)
"We, as the people of Manhattan, cannot afford to elect another far-left politician to represent us in Congress, not when they represent the same failed thinking that has sent New York City into its spiral of decline," she said.
As the only Republican challenger, Shinkle is seeking to replace retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y. She is a corporate lawyer and graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Law School.
"Common sense" conservative principles are exactly what the Big Apple needs, she said.
"My candidacy is about reversing that trend line, and every Democrat running in this race will continue to add to the problem, whereas I will be part of the solution," she said. "It is not political, it's common sense, it is about survival and getting back to basics."
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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivers remarks at the Service Employees International Union 32BJ SEIU rally on Park Avenue in Manhattan on April 15, 2026. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu)
Shinkle said those principles are resonating not only with conservatives, but with voters across the political spectrum.
"Our message of common sense economic empowerment is resonating with voters of all political affiliations throughout the district, Republicans, Democrats, and independents alike, because they understand that we are in a critical emergency situation," she said.
She pointed to Mamdani's tax policies as a "pathetic attempt" to make the wealthy pay more, arguing they would drive people and businesses out of New York City.
"Rather than building the tax base in the city, Mamdani's pathetic attempt at forcing people to pay their ‘fair share’ is really translating to citizens paying their fair share of moving expenses to leave the city," she said, adding that the situation has gotten "out of control" in New York City.
"We just have to look at the reality around us," she said. "Out-of-control taxes, out-of-control regulatory burdens, out-of-control rent, to out-of-control cost of living. Pro-criminal crime policies, condoning anti-Semitism. It's nuts."
Mamdani’s "tax the rich" agenda has drawn heavy backlash since he took office in January, with Citadel CEO Ken Griffin pledging to boost investments in Florida instead.
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Citadel founder and CEO Ken Griffin described New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s "tax the rich" video targeting him as a "creepy and weird" political advertisement. (Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Shinkle said the policies punish successful businesses rather than encouraging them.
"Taxation through appropriation. It's time for him to drop-kick this un-American, anti-success worldview and start building a welcoming environment for New York businesses and families to thrive."
However, in a city with millions of taxpayers, Shinkle is making the case that costs should not be soaring and there's "no reason why the cost of living has to be sky-high here in New York City."
In addition to taxes, Shinkle says constituents tell her that public safety is an issue not being addressed by Democrats and that New Yorkers deserve to ride public transportation and leave their houses without any fear.
"Safe streets and being able to walk to dinner in the evening and take the subway without fearing for your life is good practice wherever you live," she said. "You cannot have a vibrant economy if you're too scared to go out and participate in the economy," she added.
Despite her love for the city, Shinkle said there has been a significant "deterioration of morale."
"New York City is where I've chosen to live my life and build my career," she said. "I've been living here and working here in the district in New York 12, and I've seen the degradation of the city and the deterioration of morale here."
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Shinkle said her "pro-growth, pro-business, pro-worker policies" will improve the lives of New Yorkers and keep the city a "global capital of enterprise."
"It is time to restore pro-growth, pro-business, pro-worker policies to dramatically improve quality of life here and to ensure that New York City remains the global capital of enterprise," she said. "It’s time to shock the system and vote Caroline Shinkle to Congress in November."
As Republicans fight to hold their razor-thin House majority, Shinkle, who is the only Republican in the race, will automatically advance to the general election.
Voters in New York’s 12th Congressional District will head to the polls on June 23 to choose between Democratic candidates, including George Conway, Jack Schlossberg, Micah Lasher and Alex Bores.
Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani's office for comment.
