Erika Kirk “Can’t Believe Women Liked Mamdani”—But Here’s What She’s Missing

At this year’s New York Times DealBook Summit, Erika Kirk — widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and current CEO of Turning Point USA — sat down with Andrew Ross Sorkin and delivered a take that instantly lit political Twitter on fire. When asked why young New York women voted overwhelmingly for left-wing mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, Erika didn’t just express confusion. She expressed genuine disbelief.

According to her, women in Manhattan are delaying marriage and family because they’ve begun to “look to the government as a replacement for relationships.” And somehow, that—rather than, say, the actual policy proposals Mamdani ran on—is the reason he won so much female support.

The comment was met with everything from sharp criticism to outright mockery. But beyond the headlines and the outrage, it reveals something deeper: a glaring disconnect between conservative cultural narratives and the actual economic realities shaping women’s lives in the most expensive city in America.

Let’s unpack it.

Erika Kirk’s Claim: Women Want Government Instead of Husbands

When Sorkin asked her what she made of Mamdani’s stunning success with young voters—especially women—Erika gave a very specific answer.

From her perspective as a female voter, she said:

Women in cities like Manhattan are “so career-driven”

They begin to “look to the government as a replacement for certain things—relationship-wise even”

And they “put off having a family or marriage” because they rely on government support

Therefore, it’s “ironic” that so many of Mamdani’s supporters were women

In other words:
Women didn’t vote for Mamdani because of policy or affordability.
They voted for him because they’ve replaced partners with the state.

It’s a dramatic claim—one that plays well in conservative culture-war circles—but it collapses under even the lightest scrutiny.

The Reality: Most People Want Families, But They Can’t Afford Them

The idea that New York women avoid marriage because they prefer government support is not only inaccurate; it’s detached from the basic math of living in New York City.

Most Americans do want families.
Most Americans do want partners.
Most Americans do value the emotional richness that relationships bring.

But wanting a family and being able to afford a family are two completely different things.

New York City isn’t just expensive—it’s historically expensive:

Skyrocketing rents

Childcare costs that exceed mortgage payments

Inflation hitting groceries, utilities, and transportation

Stagnant wages

Student debt that lasts into mid-life

If you’re a single woman in NYC, you’re not “avoiding a husband” because Big Government is whispering in your ear. You’re trying to survive an economic landscape where having children without the right support system is financially impossible.

And this is where Erika’s perspective becomes revealing:
She lives in Arizona.
She’s well-off.
She’s not fighting for rent each month.
She’s not trying to raise a child in a studio apartment with a $4,000 rent.

Her life experiences are not the experiences of the average New York voter—male or female.

Why Mamdani Actually Won Female Voters

Erika’s confusion disappears the moment you look at Mamdani’s actual platform.

Because he didn’t win women by offering “government instead of husbands.”
He won them by offering policies that make family-building more possible, not less.

1. Universal Childcare

This was the centerpiece of Mamdani’s campaign:
Childcare support for children 6 weeks to 5 years old.

If you’ve ever talked to a parent in New York, you know this is the single largest financial barrier to starting a family. Universal childcare isn’t a replacement for marriage—it’s a prerequisite for many families to function.

2. Affordability Measures

Mamdani didn’t just acknowledge that NYC is expensive. He offered solutions.

That alone differentiates him from many politicians who speak vaguely about “family values” while doing nothing to make family life financially possible.

3. Economic realism

Unlike Trump-style populism, which loudly names problems and quietly offers no policy, Mamdani combined messaging with actual proposals. He didn’t just tap into frustration—he gave people concrete plans.

No wonder voters listened.
No wonder women listened.

It’s Not Women Who Are Out of Touch—It’s Erika Kirk

Erika expressed genuine surprise that women “in a place like Manhattan” voted for someone like Mamdani. But the real disconnect lies in this assumption:

She believes women delay families because of cultural decay.
Women delay families because of economic reality.

In Manhattan:

A one-bedroom costs as much as a two-person mortgage in another state

Daycare can run $2,500–$4,000 a month

Education costs are staggering

Groceries in 2024 are nearly 25% higher than pre-pandemic

Most households require two incomes just to break even

An era where one partner works and the other stays home is not “traditional.”
It’s a luxury—one most families simply cannot afford.

Conservatives love to argue people should live on a single income.
But that argument only works if those conservatives are willing to support:

Paid family leave

Universal childcare

Affordable housing

Strong worker protections

Cost-of-living interventions

Yet they oppose all of these—and then wonder why voters turn elsewhere.

A Glass House Moment

Erika’s frustration is particularly ironic given her own story.

She admitted she once lived in New York as a “boss babe,” building a career.
Charlie Kirk “plucked her out” and brought her to Arizona.
She now leads one of the largest conservative organizations in the U.S.—as a CEO.

There’s nothing wrong with being an ambitious woman with a successful career.
But criticizing other women for prioritizing work or economic self-sufficiency while being a powerful executive yourself is… awkward, at best.

People clapped because the hypocrisy was visible from space.

Here’s the Simple, Obvious Reason Mamdani Won

It’s not complicated.
It’s not cultural decay.
It’s not loneliness.
It’s not young women choosing government over husbands.

It’s affordability.

Mamdani spoke directly to the crushing economic pressure of living in New York City—and unlike many candidates, he offered policies that could realistically ease that pressure.

He didn’t shame people for being single.
He didn’t accuse women of replacing husbands with public services.
He didn’t moralize people into voting for him.

He identified their struggles, treated them as valid, and proposed solutions.

That’s why he won.
And that’s why women voted for him.

For all the noise surrounding Erika Kirk’s comments, the truth is simple:

If you want people to build families, you have to build a society where families can survive.
Everything else is just noise.