Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has ambitious proposals for New York City, including establishing city-owned grocery stores, constructing additional homes, making public transport free, and implementing rent freezes for subsidized tenants.
Nevertheless, during the Democratic primary leading up to the election on Tuesday, his opponents and media outlets appeared more concerned about his stance on the conflict between Palestine and Israel. As an advocate for Palestinian rights, Mamdani has criticized accusations of Israeli misconduct and supported the assessment of Amnesty International that Israel’s campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide.
Despite pressure, Mamdani maintained his positions, ultimately defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who had greater institutional backing and significant financial support. Mamdani’s victory is seen by supporters, including those from the progressive group Justice Democrats, as a pivotal moment in US politics that demonstrates the electoral feasibility of left-wing policies and support for Palestinian rights.
The official final results have not been released yet, but with almost all the votes tallied, Mamdani leads Cuomo by over seven percentage points and is on the path to securing the nomination. His campaign strategy, which included vigorous use of social media and grassroots organizing, appealed to a broad base of volunteers, many of whom were drawn to his critical stance on Israeli policies. They believe that this position likely strengthened his candidacy rather than hindering it, as was previously feared.
During his campaign for the Democratic nomination, Mamdani faced seemingly insurmountable odds due to a lack of early funding and low levels of name recognition compared to Cuomo. The matchup between Cuomo and Mamdani was seen as a battle between the old guard and new, progressive thinking. Cuomo’s past, including the reasons for his resignation from governorship due to sexual harassment allegations, overshadowed the campaign, but he made Mamdani’s position on Israel and Palestine a central issue.
Mamdani, a state legislator vocal in his opposition to Israel’s military operations in Gaza, illustrated his solidarity with Palestinians through acts such as a hunger strike outside the White House. Conversely, Cuomo accused Mamdani, along with other candidates, of fueling hate through anti-Israel rhetoric. This was tied to incidents like a fire attack at a pro-Israel rally in Colorado. Media scrutiny and financial support from pro-Israel billionaires such as Bill Ackman followed. The outcome shows a shift in public opinion away from unconditional support for Israel and suggests that advocacy for Palestinian rights might be more politically viable than previously thought.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/26/mamdanis-new-york-victory-boosts-pro-palestine-politics-in-us?traffic_source=rss
