Times Square Billboard Paid $50,000 to Urge New Yorkers to Flee 'Radical Socialist' Mamdani for Ohio

A political advertisement funded by a Super PAC supporting Vivek Ramaswamy has launched in New York City's Times Square, directly criticizing mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and urging New Yorkers to relocate to Ohio. The ad, highlighted by Jason Miller's tweet, states: > “Times Square ad for @VivekGRamaswamy rips ‘radical socialist’ Zohran Mamdani, urges NYers to flee for Ohio: ‘Waiting For You!’” This high-profile campaign, costing approximately $50,000, underscores the stark ideological divide between the two Indian-American politicians.

The advertisement, financed by the "Vivek Super PAC — Victors, not Victims" (VPAC), features side-by-side imagery of Mamdani and Ramaswamy. The billboard's message provocatively asks, "Ready to flee NYC?" in reference to Mamdani, contrasting it with "Move to Ohio!" and Ramaswamy, promising "Protecting freedom." This prominent political statement is slated to remain on display in the iconic tourist destination throughout the week.

Andy Surabian, chief strategist for VPAC, articulated the PAC's strategic intent behind the campaign. He stated the ad aims to present a clear choice between "the Mamdani path of socialist totalitarianism versus the Vivek path of American freedom." Ramaswamy, a former presidential candidate, is currently campaigning for the Ohio governorship in 2026, while Mamdani recently secured the Democratic primary nomination for New York City mayor.

Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, has advocated for a platform that includes raising income taxes by two percent on the wealthiest New Yorkers, implementing rent freezes for stabilized tenants, and eliminating bus fares. Conversely, Ramaswamy champions a vision centered on "liberty and prosperity," having previously asserted on social media platform X, "Capitalism defeats socialism. There’s a better way: move to Ohio."

The Times Square billboard has elicited varied responses from the public, with many New Yorkers expressing confusion or skepticism regarding the suggestion to relocate to Ohio. Despite the aggressive political messaging, Ramaswamy has previously cautioned against targeting Indian-origin politicians, including Mamdani, based on their ethnicity, emphasizing that criticism should focus on their policy positions and worldviews. VPAC has reportedly amassed $17 million in donations to bolster Ramaswamy's gubernatorial campaign.