Following Primary Upset, Mamdani Could Become New York’s First Muslim Mayor
Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist who defied the establishment to win New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, extended an olive branch to the city’s sizable Jewish community in a passionate victory speech Tuesday night.
His allies, who have close relationships with Jewish leaders, offered to help bolster Mamdani’s credibility and work to ease tensions over his views on Israel and associations with the left.
“I hope now that this primary has come to an end, I can introduce myself once more,” Mamdani said, referring to the attack ads that highlighted his statements on Israel, painted him as dangerous to Jews, and played up his affiliation with the Democratic Socialists of America. “I promise that you will not always agree with me, but I will never hide from you. If you are hurting, I will try to heal. If you feel misunderstood, I will strive to understand. Your concerns will always be mine.”
Andrew Cuomo, who entered the primary as the frontrunner in a crowded field and aggressively courted the Jewish vote, conceded the race earlier in the night as Mamdani maintained his lead — 43% to Cuomo’s 36% — a margin likely definitive once ranked-choice votes are counted next Tuesday.
“Tonight is his night, he deserved it, he won,” Cuomo told his supporters. “He put together a great campaign, and he touched young people and inspired them and moved them and got them to come out and vote, and he really ran a highly impactful campaign.” Cuomo spoke with Mamdani and congratulated him on his victory.
Cuomo had earned endorsements and significant financial backing from former Mayor Mike Bloomberg and in recent days from Bill Clinton. But the support was not enough to overcome his history — he resigned as governor in 2021 after multiple women accused him of sexual harassment — or his campaign’s lackluster strategy.
Letitia James, the New York attorney general who endorsed Mamdani as part of the Working Families Party slate and introduced the candidate on Tuesday night, urged Jewish voters who backed Cuomo out of concern over antisemitism and unease about Mamdani’s positions to give the nominee a chance to clear the air.
“You need to understand that Zohran is really a man who respects the humanity of everyone,” she said. In a speech to Jewish leaders on Monday, James said that Mamdani will need to come to the table “and speak to the Jewish community and not ignore them.”
Mamdani himself referred to his stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in his victory speech.
“There are millions of New Yorkers who have strong feelings about what happens overseas. Yes, I am one of them,” he said. “And while I will not abandon my beliefs or my commitments, grounded in a demand for equality, for humanity, you have my word to reach further, to understand the perspectives of those with whom I disagree, and to wrestle deeply with those disagreements.”
Israel was a key issue in the mayoral race
Mamdani took a rapid path from three-term state legislator with a minimal record of achievements to the leading progressive contender, bypassing more seasoned politicians. His record on Israel, including his support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement and a recent defense of the phrase “globalize the intifada,” sparked significant backlash.
Cuomo accused Mamdani of “enabling the forces of antisemitism” through his affiliation with the DSA’s New York City chapter, widely condemned for defending the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel at a demonstration in Times Square a day later.
Mamdani first made his case to Jewish voters over a bowl of chicken soup at a Manhattan diner during an April interview with the Forward, describing his positions as driven by a commitment to universal human rights.
He also met with skeptical Jewish leaders during the campaign and gave an interview to a Hasidic Yiddish-language paper. Over the weekend, photos circulated on social media showing pro-Mamdani Yiddish-language campaign posters on a pole in Borough Park. His campaign did not say whether it sanctioned the posters.
Mamdani made a final pitch to Jewish New Yorkers on Monday night in a joint appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert with fellow mayoral hopeful Brad Lander, the city’s comptroller and highest-ranking Jewish elected official. The two cross-endorsed each other under the ranked-choice voting system to maximize their chances against Cuomo.
Lander, a liberal Zionist, said after his concession speech that Mamdani’s election could spell an opportunity for healing. “That won’t be easy to do, but I think it’s possible, and I’m really hopeful for it,” he said in an interview.
New York state Senator John Liu, who ran for mayor in 2013, praised Mamdani, saying he also disagrees with him on Israel but believes he should be given a chance to make good with the Jewish community. “I’ve had many discussions and I’m happy that he’s been saying very explicitly that he’ll protect all New Yorkers,” he said.
Mamdani vs. Eric Adams in the general election
Mamdani’s path to City Hall isn’t guaranteed. While Democratic nominees for mayor typically win in November — with about two-thirds of New York voters registered as Democrats — he could face a serious challenge. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, elected as a Democrat in 2021, is running for reelection as an independent on an “End Antisemitism” ballot line.
Orthodox voting blocs were critical to electing Adams in 2021. He has maintained his popularity with Jewish New Yorkers for his strong pro-Israel stance. Some Hasidic sects that endorsed Cuomo in the primary have already indicated they would support Adams in the general.
According to The New York Times, an aide to the mayor encouraged Orthodox leaders to endorse anyone but Cuomo in hopes of biting into his support ahead of a more competitive general election contest.
If Cuomo, who has already qualified to run on an independent line in November, decides to drop out, Adams is expected to position himself as the main alternative to Mamdani.
David Greenfield, the CEO of the Met Council and a former New York City council member critical of Mamdani, suggested Adams has “a real path to winning reelection in November.”
‘I can’t believe this is real’: NYC’s Orthodox Jews panic
For many Orthodox New Yorkers, Mamdani’s surge in the city’s Democratic primary was a death knell for Jewish life in the city.
Mamdani’s refusal to disavow pro-Palestinian chants to “globalize the intifada” struck many as tacit approval of antisemitic violence — whose victims in New York are disproportionately Orthodox Jews. (Mamdani has said he hears in the chant a “desperate desire for equality and equal rights” for Palestinians).
One Orthodox voter, Jeffrey Lax, called the prospect of a Mamdani victory an “unthinkable disaster.”
“NYC is in big, big trouble,” Lax, a professor of law at the City University of New York, wrote on X.
Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt, co-founder of the Altneu, an Orthodox synagogue on the Upper East Side, appeared to accuse Mamdani of antisemitism in a post on X Tuesday morning.
“Perhaps soft antisemitism is not a liability for a NYC politician. It’s an asset,” Chizhik-Goldschmidt wrote. “Perhaps New York City is not the city we thought it was.”
Another Orthodox voter, Yehuda Teitelbaum, wondered if New York was “suicidal.”
“Nothing proves the diaspora is safe for Jews like voting in a mayor who proudly ran on globalizing the intifada in the biggest Jewish city outside of Israel,” Teitelbaum wrote on X. “I can’t believe this is real.” (In a radio interview on Monday, Mamdani said that he hasn’t used the phrase and it wasn’t his job to police controversial statements).
David Bashevkin, an Orthodox podcaster, summed up the mood with an emoji: “I 💔 NY,” he wrote.
Other races
Further down the ballot, in the comptroller race, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, who is Jewish, defeated Councilmember Justin Brannan.
And in a closely-watched City Council race in Park Slope, Brooklyn, incumbent Shahana Hanif — who has also critiqued Israel and lost Jewish support over her reactions to antisemitic incidents in the borough — defeated Maya Kornberg, who is Jewish.
Anthony Weiner, who sought to make yet another comeback, placed fourth in his bid for a congressional seat in Manhattan’s second district.
JTA contributed to this report.
This story was originally published in the Forward. Click here to get the Forward’s free email newsletters delivered to your inbox.
Jacob Kornbluh is the Forward’s senior political reporter. Follow him on Twitter @jacobkornbluh or email kornbluh@forward.com.
Louis Keene is a reporter for the Forward. His work has also been published in The New York Times, New York magazine and Vice. He is based in Los Angeles.