Zohran Mamdani, criticized for anti-Israel rhetoric and ties to pro-intifada movements, wins New York City mayoral election over Andrew Cuomo.
In a stunning political upset, Zohran Mamdani, a far-left New York assemblyman known for his anti-Israel views, won the New York City mayoral election on Tuesday night — a result already stirring deep unease among Jewish and pro-Israel communities nationwide.
With 80% of ballots counted, Mamdani led with 50.6%, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo (41.2%) and Republican Curtis Sliwa (7.4%). Multiple U.S. networks — including CNN and Fox News — called the race shortly after polls closed at 9:00 p.m. local time.
Cuomo, conceding before a divided crowd, urged unity and warned against antisemitic division:
“We cherish our diversity and have no tolerance for discrimination. We will not allow antisemitism to fester in our city,” he said, as some supporters booed the mention of Mamdani’s name.
Mamdani celebrated the victory as a “revolution of the grassroots,” proclaiming,
“My friends, we have toppled a political dynasty… The future is in our hands.”
In a striking rhetorical pivot, Mamdani promised that “City Hall will stand steadfast alongside Jewish New Yorkers”, though his record tells a far more divisive story.
A Troubling Record on Israel
Mamdani’s win comes despite — or perhaps because of — his long history of anti-Israel activism. He has repeatedly accused Israel of “war crimes,” refused to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada,” and in the wake of Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre, blamed Israel just one day after 1,200 Jews were slaughtered.
He has also rejected the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism — a global standard endorsed by dozens of democratic nations — and vowed to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he visit New York City, invoking the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant (even though the U.S. is not an ICC member).
Jewish advocacy organizations condemned Mamdani’s rhetoric during the campaign, calling it “deeply antisemitic, anti-democratic, and dangerous.”
Trump’s Endorsement of Cuomo Falls Short
In an unexpected twist, President Donald Trump had endorsed Cuomo in a last-minute show of support, praising his experience and pledging “a united front against the far-left anti-Israel radicals.” But even Trump’s backing couldn’t sway New York’s liberal electorate.
“Cuomo may have been the old guard, but Mamdani is the face of an ideological insurgency,” one political analyst noted. “This wasn’t just a race for City Hall — it was a referendum on the city’s soul.”
Rising Tides Elsewhere
In other key elections, Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA officer and Democratic congresswoman, made history as Virginia’s first female governor, while Ghazala Hashmi became the first Muslim woman elected statewide as Virginia’s lieutenant governor.
In New Jersey, Democrat Mikie Sherrill secured another term as governor, fending off Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who was strongly backed by Trump and received overwhelming support from New Jersey’s Orthodox Jewish community in Lakewood and Jackson.
A Divided City Awaits
Mamdani’s victory speech attempted to strike a tone of unity, but for many in New York’s Jewish and pro-Israel communities, it rang hollow.
“This is a dangerous moment for New York,” said one community leader. “A man who refused to condemn Hamas now governs the city with the largest Jewish population outside Israel.”
The election’s aftermath leaves New York at a political crossroads — between its liberal ideals and the bitter consequences of elevating an openly anti-Israel figure to its highest office.In a stunning political upset, Zohran Mamdani, a far-left New York assemblyman known for his anti-Israel views, won the New York City mayoral election on Tuesday night — a result already stirring deep unease among Jewish and pro-Israel communities nationwide.
With 80% of ballots counted, Mamdani led with 50.6%, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo (41.2%) and Republican Curtis Sliwa (7.4%). Multiple U.S. networks — including CNN and Fox News — called the race shortly after polls closed at 9:00 p.m. local time.
Cuomo, conceding before a divided crowd, urged unity and warned against antisemitic division:
“We cherish our diversity and have no tolerance for discrimination. We will not allow antisemitism to fester in our city,” he said, as some supporters booed the mention of Mamdani’s name.
Mamdani celebrated the victory as a “revolution of the grassroots,” proclaiming,
“My friends, we have toppled a political dynasty… The future is in our hands.”
In a striking rhetorical pivot, Mamdani promised that “City Hall will stand steadfast alongside Jewish New Yorkers”, though his record tells a far more divisive story.
A Troubling Record on Israel
Mamdani’s win comes despite — or perhaps because of — his long history of anti-Israel activism. He has repeatedly accused Israel of “war crimes,” refused to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada,” and in the wake of Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre, blamed Israel just one day after 1,200 Jews were slaughtered.
He has also rejected the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism — a global standard endorsed by dozens of democratic nations — and vowed to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he visit New York City, invoking the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant (even though the U.S. is not an ICC member).
Jewish advocacy organizations condemned Mamdani’s rhetoric during the campaign, calling it “deeply antisemitic, anti-democratic, and dangerous.”
Trump’s Endorsement of Cuomo Falls Short
In an unexpected twist, President Donald Trump had endorsed Cuomo in a last-minute show of support, praising his experience and pledging “a united front against the far-left anti-Israel radicals.” But even Trump’s backing couldn’t sway New York’s liberal electorate.
“Cuomo may have been the old guard, but Mamdani is the face of an ideological insurgency,” one political analyst noted. “This wasn’t just a race for City Hall — it was a referendum on the city’s soul.”
Rising Tides Elsewhere
In other key elections, Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA officer and Democratic congresswoman, made history as Virginia’s first female governor, while Ghazala Hashmi became the first Muslim woman elected statewide as Virginia’s lieutenant governor.
In New Jersey, Democrat Mikie Sherrill secured another term as governor, fending off Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who was strongly backed by Trump and received overwhelming support from New Jersey’s Orthodox Jewish community in Lakewood and Jackson.
A Divided City Awaits
Mamdani’s victory speech attempted to strike a tone of unity, but for many in New York’s Jewish and pro-Israel communities, it rang hollow.
“This is a dangerous moment for New York,” said one community leader. “A man who refused to condemn Hamas now governs the city with the largest Jewish population outside Israel.”
The election’s aftermath leaves New York at a political crossroads — between its liberal ideals and the bitter consequences of elevating an openly anti-Israel figure to its highest office.
