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Zohran Mamdani Topples Cuomo in New York City’s Democratic Mayoral Primary

Will Zohran Mamdani become the next mayor of NYC?

  • Yes, he will

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • No, he won't

    Votes: 1 100.0%
  • Total voters
    1
BouncerGuy said:
What exclusive right does anyone need to call a certified killer " KILLER"???
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Talking about rights of NY mayor… it seems Muslim worlds gonna crazy after 1st Muslim mayor in the history of NY.. IMO Muslim world now started believing that NY will become Muslim city
 
globetrotter said:
Talking about rights of NY mayor… it seems Muslim worlds gonna crazy after 1st Muslim mayor in the history of NY.. IMO Muslim world now started believing that NY will become Muslim city
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But why he need any exclusive right to call a butcher "A BUTCHER"
 
I want NY to feel the pain of socialism , this guy is Soviet level socialist, and only one way for NY to know how socialism works, to experience it.

Hopefully this time the socialists don’t complain that Mamdani didn’t implement socialism properly.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
He seems like an honest, sincere politician committed to doing what's best for his city. Which is quite rare these days. His campaign was based on an anti-establishment, rent reform agenda that clearly resonated with average New Yorkers and young people.

When it comes to his views he seems to be on the right side on everything. The highlight of his campaign was during the debate when he and the other candidates were asked which country would they visit first if they became Mayor? And almost everyone towed the line and said Israel. Except Mamdani who said he would stay in NYC and work with Jewish New Yorkers to solve their problems.

Beating Cuomo is no small feat for someone with essentially zero experience. Cuomo was the Governor of NY at one point and has years of political experience. Not to mention, he comes from a very politically-connected family. Even his dad was the Governor of NY once upon a time. On top of that Cuomo is backed by billionaires, Zionists and numerous other powerful people.
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Lol he is not committed to whats best for the city, he is a politician who is committed to making eye grabbing headlines , appease the demographics that can make him win.

His idea of socialism is equivalent to the State idealism practiced by West Bengal under communist party that took Bengal from top Indian state towards irrelevance.
 
JaDed said:
Lol he is not committed to whats best for the city, he is a politician who is committed to making eye grabbing headlines , appease the demographics that can make him win.

His idea of socialism is equivalent to the State idealism practiced by West Bengal under communist party that took Bengal from top Indian state towards irrelevance.
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Are we really comparing West Bengal, a state with crippling levels of poverty, to New York City, one of the richest cities in the world, whose GDP surpasses that of entire countries?

He is talking about solving real issues that average New Yorkers face, whether its skyrocketing rents, unreliable and overpriced public transit, healthcare inequality, or aggressive over-policing. He never claimed that he'd end world hunger.

As far as his intentions are concerned, you don't know that. All I know is that he's isn't a sex pest, fraudster, or a corporate puppet. He doesn’t come with a chequered political past like most American politicians, because he doesn’t have one. He also isn't on the take from AIPAC, and I am fairly certain that he's not on any Epstein list either.

There’s no reason not to take what he says at face value, unless, of course, someone has a different issue with him. Perhaps pertaining to his criticism of a certain Prime Minister of one of the largest countries in the world, who also happens to be a right-wing nationalist accused of overseeing egregious human rights violations.
 
Suleiman said:
Change name of New York to New New Delhi :kp Khilafah Al Hindiyya is going global @Bhaijaan
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You don’t need Mamdani in Delhi Kejrival is there, hopefully will come next term.
RedwoodOriginal said:
Are we really comparing West Bengal, a state with crippling levels of poverty, to New York City, one of the richest cities in the world, whose GDP surpasses that of entire countries?

He is talking about solving real issues that average New Yorkers face, whether its skyrocketing rents, unreliable and overpriced public transit, healthcare inequality, or aggressive over-policing. He never claimed that he'd end world hunger.

As far as his intentions are concerned, you don't know that. All I know is that he's isn't a sex pest, fraudster, or a corporate puppet. He doesn’t come with a chequered political past like most American politicians, because he doesn’t have one. He also isn't on the take from AIPAC, and I am fairly certain that he's not on any Epstein list either.

There’s no reason not to take what he says at face value, unless, of course, someone has a different issue with him. Perhaps pertaining to his criticism of a certain Prime Minister of one of the largest countries in the world, who also happens to be a right-wing nationalist accused of overseeing egregious human rights violations.
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He is better than Cuomo , now that’s out of the way, he is a socialist , I’m not criticising him on his dislike for his mother’s religion or taking up his fathers or Modi dislike, my point refers to his opinion of establishing socialism as simple as that..he is not bringing anything new but just grabbing headlines as he feels fit with his weird romanticised notion of socialism.

It’s alright though I made similar arguments against Trudeau during his first term, time will tell how Mamdani ends up.
 
JaDed said:
You don’t need Mamdani in Delhi Kejrival is there, hopefully will come next term.

He is better than Cuomo , now that’s out of the way, he is a socialist , I’m not criticising him on his dislike for his mother’s religion or taking up his fathers or Modi dislike, my point refers to his opinion of establishing socialism as simple as that..he is not bringing anything new but just grabbing headlines as he feels fit with his weird romanticised notion of socialism.

It’s alright though I made similar arguments against Trudeau during his first term, time will tell how Mamdani ends up.
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I don't agree with your take on socialism, but that's a much longer debate for another thread. That said, I don't think he's the hardcore socialist people make him out to be. None of his ideas are particularly radical. Making a city more affordable for the majority of its residents shouldn't be framed as a 'socialist' agenda. People love to attack socialism as if capitalism isn't already broken.

Just look at America’s healthcare system. This is supposed to be the richest country in the world, yet average people pray they won’t have to go to the hospital for something as simple as a few stitches. The unholy nexus of hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and insurance providers have a stranglehold on the entire system.

Wanting dignity, stability, and basic rights shouldn’t be dismissed as ideology, it should be the baseline.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
I don't agree with your take on socialism, but that's a much longer debate for another thread. That said, I don't think he's the hardcore socialist people make him out to be. None of his ideas are particularly radical. Making a city more affordable for the majority of its residents shouldn't be framed as a 'socialist' agenda. People love to attack socialism as if capitalism isn't already broken.

Just look at America’s healthcare system. This is supposed to be the richest country in the world, yet average people pray they won’t have to go to the hospital for something as simple as a few stitches. The unholy nexus of hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and insurance providers have a stranglehold on the entire system.

Wanting dignity, stability, and basic rights shouldn’t be dismissed as ideology, it should be the baseline.
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US capitalism is socialism for the rich since glass -Steagall act ,Yes US healthcare system is broken, but socialism will not resolve that , addressing the crony capitalist issues will resolve that.

Wanting dignity and basic rights are fair, controlling market doesn’t work, enabling equality and disabling monopolies work, yet FTC spectacularly failed under Lina Khan who was all talk.

Any government that tried to control market failed, but irrespective as I said before want him to win so NY gets another city democrat that doesn't know how to enable business and prefers state controlling everything.

My guess he wins for 2 terms and blames big corporates for 8 years consistently without bringing any change , like the quad.
 
Socialism is where everyone will be equally poor. There is not one socialist country that is doing well. Free market, Meritocracy and equal opportunity are the way to go.

This Mamdani guy also wants government run grocery stores. What a clown. But then again. It’s NY. The city of freeloaders. Who would not want free stuff without actually working for it?
 
Donald trump is very right in criticising Mamdani and he don’t want NY to be called a communal city…. Problem with Muslim mayor is they 1st Muslim and then mayor of city… this is what we seen while Trump’a visit to London where mayor Sadiq khan avoided meeting with trump.

Wester European cities should avoid Muslim mayor.
 
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Apparently in Mcarthy Era ppl thought to be communists were stripped off their citizenships, insane how history repeats itself.
Hopefully saner laws prevent such things from happening.
 
JaDed said:
I want NY to feel the pain of socialism , this guy is Soviet level socialist, and only one way for NY to know how socialism works, to experience it.

Hopefully this time the socialists don’t complain that Mamdani didn’t implement socialism properly.
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His socialism is very tame- freezing rent isn't exactly radical, and having cheap food shops for the poor wont turn NY into Chairman Maos China.
 
globetrotter said:
Donald trump is very right in criticising Mamdani and he don’t want NY to be called a communal city…. Problem with Muslim mayor is they 1st Muslim and then mayor of city… this is what we seen while Trump’a visit to London where mayor Sadiq khan avoided meeting with trump.
Wester European cities should avoid Muslim mayor
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Can you tell me where his version of Islam goes against American values or the law of the land. You see and the Hindutuva see him as Muslim and that apparently disqualifies him🤣🤣🤣

And BTW the Americans are calling you guys backwards for eating with your hands. Are you backward and need to be deported from America
 
Mamdani eats with his hands and is called backward. Hindutuva applaud the attack on the Muslim but then realise they too eat with their hands. Suddenly they get triggered and call the Americans racist. What pathetic bunch of losers.
 

Zohran Mamdani’s New York primary win sparks the ire of Modi’s supporters​


If he wins the general election in November, Zohran Mamdani could become New York City’s first South Asian and first Indian-origin mayor. But the same identity that makes him a political trailblazer has also triggered intense backlash in India and among sections of its diaspora.

Ever since Mamdani’s sweeping victory in the Democratic mayoral primary on June 24, his campaign has faced a wave of criticism — much of it driven by Hindu right-wing voices. The 33-year-old, a Muslim, has been called a “jihadi,” “Islamist,” and “anti-India” by some online detractors. Experts say this backlash reflects growing tensions between critics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and his global support base.

Kayla Bassett, director of research at the Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH), said: “This isn’t just about one individual. It’s about promoting a narrative that casts Muslims as inherently suspect or un-American.”

The IOC has expressed concern over India’s poor anti-doping record and limited Olympic success, with the country earning just six medals and no golds at the Paris 2024 Games.

Mamdani, a vocal critic of human rights violations in Gaza and India, has particularly angered supporters of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). BJP MP Kangana Ranaut accused him of “wiping out Hinduism” and “sounding more Pakistani than Indian,” referencing his Muslim identity and Hindu mother, filmmaker Mira Nair. Indian news channel Aaj Tak even aired a segment alleging that Mamdani is funded by anti-India groups.

A New Jersey-based group, Indian Americans for Cuomo, paid for a banner to be flown over NYC that read: “Save NYC from Global Intifada. Reject Mamdani.”

Much of the outrage stems from Mamdani’s history of protesting against Hindu nationalism. In 2020, he denounced the demolition of the Babri Masjid and called out BJP's role. In 2023, he read aloud statements from jailed activist Umar Khalid during Modi’s visit to NYC. At a recent town hall, Mamdani said he wouldn’t meet Modi if elected, calling him a “war criminal.”

Mamdani’s Gujarati roots and Muslim identity have drawn intensified scrutiny. Scholar Rohit Chopra explained that class divides within the Hindu diaspora may also be fueling distrust. “They don’t even identify with other Hindu Americans from working-class backgrounds,” he said.

Despite this, Mamdani’s support base in NYC is growing. He won big in diverse areas like Jackson Heights and Little Bangladesh. According to professor Arvind Rajagopal, Mamdani’s multilingual abilities and openness about his identity helped him connect with voters. “He answers the moment of Trump perfectly,” Rajagopal said, calling his win “a big reality check for the Hindu right.”

Jagpreet Singh, political director of DRUM Beats, said Mamdani’s outreach to Hindu and South Asian communities in NYC has been genuine. From visiting temples to supporting Diwali as a state holiday, Mamdani has embraced his diverse background. “South Asian groups in New York City, including Hindu Americans, have adopted him as their own,” Singh said.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025...rimary-win-sparks-the-ire-of-modis-supporters
 
Bewal Express said:
His socialism is very tame- freezing rent isn't exactly radical, and having cheap food shops for the poor wont turn NY into Chairman Maos China.
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He wants state involved everywhere, the guy is anti-capitalist to an extent almost reaching communism levels.
 
Bewal Express said:
You mean like those failed Scandinavian societies 🤣🤣🤣
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I hope you are kidding, Scandinavian countries are massively capitalist with free market.
They are welfare states yes but not communist/socialist.

Nordic model itself is something that include market economy, they do have welfare but are when it comes to markets they are extremely capitalist, even more than US.

Also they are of one ethnicity majorly makes it easier to have that welfare model.
 
globetrotter said:
Donald trump is very right in criticising Mamdani and he don’t want NY to be called a communal city…. Problem with Muslim mayor is they 1st Muslim and then mayor of city… this is what we seen while Trump’a visit to London where mayor Sadiq khan avoided meeting with trump.

Wester European cities should avoid Muslim mayor.
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If that is true, then by the same (crap) logic you could say that Hindu Americans are Hindu first and should probably be deported as finger licking curry munchers.
 
Several GOP Reps and Senators are now calling for limiting LEGAL immigration after Mamdani's win. :unsure:
 
RexRex said:
Several GOP Reps and Senators are now calling for limiting LEGAL immigration after Mamdani's win. :unsure:
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One thing I like about Americans is that they take their freedom of speech seriously. It's ok to spout hillbilly opinions, it's all out there in the open and to be fair, you can call it out if you want to hit back. They even had a video game called Redneck Rampage. Only in America.
 
JaDed said:
I hope you are kidding, Scandinavian countries are massively capitalist with free market.
They are welfare states yes but not communist/socialist.

Nordic model itself is something that include market economy, they do have welfare but are when it comes to markets they are extremely capitalist, even more than US.

Also they are of one ethnicity majorly makes it easier to have that welfare model.
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No. The pretense that he will introduce Soviet style controls of the means of production is basically the propaganda from right wingers and Zionists to keep unfettered capitalism working for the rich, whilst the Working classes are left to fight for the crumbs. There needs to be a balance, which just isn't there
 
Bewal Express said:
No. The pretense that he will introduce Soviet style controls of the means of production is basically the propaganda from right wingers and Zionists to keep unfettered capitalism working for the rich, whilst the Working classes are left to fight for the crumbs. There needs to be a balance, which just isn't there
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Which major city in Scandinavia has city run grocery stores? That’s Mamdani’s proposal
 
Cpt. Rishwat said:
If that is true, then by the same (crap) logic you could say that Hindu Americans are Hindu first and should probably be deported as finger licking curry munchers.
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Hindu not doing such things as you are thinking.....has Trump shuffled with any Hindu mayor? In Muslim mayor case, it's happening 2nd time. Therefore it is crystal clear that Muslim Mayor's brings religion before their nationalism
 
globetrotter said:
Hindu not doing such things as you are thinking.....has Trump shuffled with any Hindu mayor? In Muslim mayor case, it's happening 2nd time. Therefore it is crystal clear that Muslim Mayor's brings religion before their nationalism
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When did Trump say that Mamdani is a Muslim first and brings his religion before his nationalism?
 

New York mayoral frontrunner Mamdani leaves business leaders divided on opposition strategy​


The business community in New York City is scrambling to figure out who to support in November's mayoral race, with many leaders saying either Andrew Cuomo or Mayor Eric Adams needs to drop out for the other to have a chance against surprise Democratic primary winner Zohran Mamdani.

Following Cuomo’s announcement that he would stay in the race as an independent after losing to Mamdani, New York-based CEOs have yet to coalesce behind either the former governor or incumbent Adams in their bid to defeat Mamdani, a Democratic socialist who won the primary in June.

Several business leaders who would only speak under the condition of anonymity said they would support Cuomo, while others were backing Adams, a former police captain who was elected mayor as a Democrat in 2021 but this year decided to run as an independent, as less sure of the former governor's chances. Many leaders are taking a wait-and-see approach -- though others believe that could be a bad move, keeping another candidate from gaining momentum.

Mamdani won the June 24 primary with 56% of the vote, bolstered by young voters drawn to his social media presence and messaging focused on solving the city's affordability crisis. Polling suggests he would prevail over a fractured field of Cuomo, Adams and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, but some polls suggest Cuomo would win a head-to-head matchup against Mamdani in heavily Democratic New York.

Business owners are concerned that Mamdani's proposals, which include rent freezes, free city buses and city-owned grocery stores, would add to residents' tax burden and cause an exodus of capital.

Mamdani says his plans, which also include free childcare, would be paid for by raising corporate taxes and imposing an additional 2% income tax on New Yorkers earning more than $1 million a year.

“I can only vote for one candidate in November, and that decision won’t be made until closer to Election Day,” said Jared Epstein, president of real-estate owner and developer Aurora Capital Associates, in an email. “Until then, like nearly every one of the 20,000 contacts in my phone, my position is simple: ABZ – ‘Anyone But Zohran.'"

Mamdani has raised about $820,000 since the primary through July 21, according to the city's campaign finance board. Few prominent business leaders have publicly come out in support of Mamdani, who has received endorsements from unions that previously backed Cuomo. In recent days, Mamdani met with executives in a meeting organized by the nonprofit Partnership for New York City.

"He did a pretty good job of making the case that he was open to conversations, discussion and learning, and that he wanted to build a coalition that would represent all New Yorkers," said Kathy Wylde, president and chief executive officer of the group.

Cuomo has said he would drop out by September if he isn’t the clear favorite and has urged others to do the same, though by state law his name would remain on the ballot. He has raised just $64,000 since June 10.

Adams has raised roughly $1.5 million since June 10. Maria and Kenneth Fishel, who own luxury real estate company Renaissance Properties, hosted a fundraiser for Adams in Long Island's Hamptons over the 4th of July weekend. Adams has also received support on social media from hedge-fund managers Bill Ackman and Daniel Loeb. He has been endorsed by 13 police unions.

Hedge fund manager Whitney Tilson, who ran in this year's Democratic mayoral primary, receiving just 0.8% of the vote, said in an email that once the election is one month away, "it will hopefully be clear who’s better positioned to beat Mamdani and ONLY THEN should the other guy drop."

Neither Cuomo nor Mamdani's campaigns responded to a request for comment.

Todd Shapiro, spokesperson for Adams, said Adams made New York stronger after the pandemic and will continue to deliver results for the business community in New York.

Sliwa, who is polling behind both Mamdani and Cuomo, said he is not planning on dropping out; Sliwa, as the Republican candidate in the 2021 mayoral general election won 27.8% of the vote.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/ne...siness-leaders-divided-opposition-2025-07-22/
 
Mamdani Bhai over hypes everything, he is like Trump but from the left.

Lot of entertainment to come, this is ground zero for socialist Democrats, easy victory and we will other cities give in as well.
 
Champ_Pal said:
I am not talking about the electoral process. I am talking about his radical leftist and socialist ideas.

I left India because merit is not respected and freebies are given to people who do not deserve it. You don’t have to put reasons in my head.

He is trying to make US capitalism less brutal? :asif ? US is fine the way it is. His radical ideas may work in Cuba or Venezuela. His stance on rich needs to pay more taxes means pushing rich to Florida or Texas or Nevada. His defunding the police stance is an even bigger joke. I hope does not follow any of the things he preached before.
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I’m no socialist but I think a pure capitalist model is not workable either. Industry leaders benefit from government spending on schools, roads, military, etc. and yet don’t contribute their fair share of taxes. For example, companies use government build roads for their logistics and transportation and don’t directly pay for this. Their staff are qualified from government funded schools and self funded universities but they don’t directly work pay for this. Excess wealth is an issue, what are you going to do with 3 yacht or 2 private planes, etc. and the divide is getting bigger. There is a lot of poverty even in the US and that needs to be addressed with the divide getting bigger. A lot of people work hard and if they get ill, they can’t work anymore or support their families.

However, Mamdani’s real challenge isn’t winning the elections but rather how he will implement his ideas, because he then has to fight the Governor and state legislature for funding/legislation, etc. Mayoral authority is not absolute and is based on state law and authority.
 
Frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa faced off in the final debate of the New York City mayoral race on Wednesday, in a final push to woo voters before the November 4 vote.

But the attack lines they deployed against each other, and their defences, were mostly along predictable lines, as their track records, United States President Donald Trump and Israel’s war on Gaza dominated their clash at LaGuardia Community College in the borough of Queens, in a debate televised by Spectrum News NY1.

Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, maintains a sizeable lead in the polls, after surging to a surprise victory in the June primary on a platform of affordability: pushing free buses, rent freezes, and universal childcare, paid for, in part, by raising taxes on the wealthy.

Cuomo has sought to portray Mamdani’s promises – most of which would require buy-in from state lawmakers – as unrealistic and has repeatedly taken aim at the 34-year-old Democratic Socialist’s lack of experience in governing. The race has narrowed since the current mayor, Eric Adams, exited the race, leaving just Mamdani, Cuomo and Sliva in the contest.

Here were the top takeaways from the debate:

Experience versus the future

The night began with Cuomo and Mamdani hammering home the themes that have defined the final stretch of the race.

Cuomo called himself the candidate who “can get it done, not just talk about it”.

“He’s never run anything, managed anything. He’s never had a real job,” he said of Mamdani.

Mamdani called himself the “sole candidate running with a vision for the future of this city”.

“He is a desperate man lashing out because he knows that the one thing he’s always cared about, power, is now slipping away from him,” Mamdani said of Cuomo.

Later in the night, Sliwa took a swipe at both his opponents: “Zohran, your resume could fit on a cocktail napkin, and Andrew, your failures could fill a public school library in New York City.”

Countering Trump

The US president has loomed large over the New York City mayoral race. Wednesday’s debate also came hours after immigration agents raided Manhattan’s Chinatown, an escalation of federal enforcement measures in America’s largest city.

Trump has pledged to deploy the National Guard and to cut federal funding to the city if Mamdani is elected. Cuomo, who shares many of the same donors as Trump, has seized on those threats to portray a win for his rival as dangerous for the city.

“[Trump] has said he’ll take over New York if Mamdani wins, and he will, because he has no respect for him. He [Trump] thinks he’s a kid, and he’s going to knock him [Mamdani] on his tuchus,” Cuomo said.

“I believe [Trump] wants Mamdani, that is his dream, because he will use him politically all across our country, and he will take over New York City,” he said. “Make no mistake, it will be President Trump and Mayor Trump.”

Mamdani called Cuomo “Donald Trump’s puppet”.

“You could turn on the TV any day of the week, and you will hear Donald Trump share that his pick for mayor is Andrew Cuomo, and he wants Andrew Cuomo to be the mayor, not because it will be good for New Yorkers, but because it will be good for him,” he said.

Support for Palestine again looms large

Mamdani was again asked about his staunch support for Palestinian rights, which Cuomo has repeatedly decried, baselessly, as anti-Semitic.

Mamdani said he “will be the mayor who doesn’t just protect Jewish New Yorkers, but also celebrates and cherishes them”. He said Cuomo was using false claims of anti-Semitism to “score political points”.

Cuomo accused him of stoking “the flames of hatred against Jewish people”.

Sliwa falsely accused Mamdani of endorsing “global jihad”.

“That is not something that I have said and that continues to be ascribed to me,” Mamdani responded, “and frankly, I think much of it has to do with the fact that I am the first Muslim candidate to be on the precipice of winning this election.”

Mamdani announces pick for police commissioner

The leading candidate also broke some news during the debate, announcing he would ask current Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch to stay on in her post if he wins.

That may upset some of Mamdani’s supporters, who could see the police chief, who is serving under current Mayor Adams, as out of step with the police reforms he has promised.

Tisch, whose family is worth billions, has championed increasing so-called “quality of life” enforcement that critics say disproportionately harms minority communities. She has also pushed to make some criminal laws stricter.

Cuomo grilled on sexual assault

Cuomo was repeatedly asked by his opponents about the sexual misconduct allegations from his employees that saw him leave his post as New York governor early in 2021.

Investigators with the state attorney general later found that Cuomo had “sexually harassed a number of current and former New York State employees”.

Cuomo has claimed the cases have been closed “legally”, but litigation in several cases continues.

During the debate, Mamdani revealed that one accuser, Charlotte Bennett, who Cuomo is currently suing for defamation, was in the audience.

“What do you say to the 13 women who you sexually harassed?” he asked Cuomo.

Cuomo pushed back, arguing that the sexual harassment cases have been dropped. “What you just said was a misstatement, which we’re accustomed to,” he responded to Mamdani.


www.aljazeera.com

Mamdani, Cuomo clash in final NYC mayoral debate: Key takeaways

Mamdani attacked over affordability platform, support for Palestine; Cuomo challenged on sexual harassment.
www.aljazeera.com www.aljazeera.com
 
Wonder if he’s wearing a kevlar vest under his suit.

No chance the Zionist will allow a Muslim mayor in their second homeland.
 
Mamdani has run the best campaign in recent memory, for all his idealism a very inclusive and energetic campaign with so much youth support.

I hope he can work with everyone because good leaders have to be good consistently unlike the bad ones.
 

In emotional speech, Zohran Mamdani defends Muslim identity against 'racist and baseless' attacks​


Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, pledged yesterday (24 October) to further embrace his Muslim identity in response to growing attacks by former Gov Andrew Cuomo and his surrogates that he characterised as "racist and baseless."

Encircled by faith leaders outside a Bronx mosque, Mamdani spoke in emotional terms about the "indignities" long faced by the city's Muslim population, choking back tears as he described his aunt's decision not to ride the subway after the 11 September attacks because she did not feel safe being seen in a religious head covering.

He recounted how, when he first entered politics, an uncle gently suggested he keep his faith to himself.

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"These are lessons that so many Muslim New Yorkers have been taught," Mamdani said. "And over these last few days, these lessons have become the closing messages of Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Sliwa and Eric Adams."

At a news conference later yesterday, Cuomo accused Mamdani of "playing the victim" for political purposes and denied that Islamophobia existed on a wide scale in New York.

Throughout the race, Mamdani, a democratic socialist, has been criticised by Cuomo and others over his criticism of Israel's government, which he had accused of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

But the tone of those attacks has amped up in recent days, drawing allegations from some Democrats that Cuomo's campaign is leaning into Islamophobia in the final stretch of the campaign.

Appearing on a conservative radio station on Thursday (23 October), Cuomo appeared to laugh along at host Sid Rosenberg's suggestion that Mamdani would "be cheering" another 9/11 attack. "That's another problem," Cuomo replied.

A Cuomo social media account posted, then removed, a video depicting Mamdani eating rice with his hands and describing his supporters as criminals. A campaign spokesperson said the video was posted in error.

At an event endorsing the former governor, Mayor Eric Adams invoked the possibility of terrorist attacks in New York City, seeming to suggest — without explanation — they would be more likely under a Mamdani administration.

"New York can't be Europe. I don't know what is wrong with people," Adams said, standing alongside Cuomo. "You see what's playing out in other countries because of Islamic extremism."

At a debate earlier this week, Sliwa, the Republican candidate, falsely smeared Mamdani as a supporter of "global jihad."

Asked about Rosenberg's comments, Cuomo said he "didn't take the remarks seriously at the time."

"Of course, I think it's an offensive comment. But it did not come out of my mouth," he added.

Messages left with Adams' and Sliwa's campaign were not immediately returned.

In his speech yesterday, Mamdani said he was aiming his remarks not at political opponents but at his fellow Muslim New Yorkers.

"The dream of every Muslim is simply to be treated the same as any other New Yorker," he said. "And yet for too long we have been told to ask for less than that, and to be satisfied with whatever little we receive."

"No more," he said.

To that end, Mamdani said he would further embrace his Muslim identity, a decision he said he consciously avoided at the start of his campaign.

"I thought that if I behaved well enough, or bit my tongue enough in the face of racist, baseless attacks, all while returning back to my central message, it would allow me to be more than just my faith," Mamdani said. "I was wrong. No amount of redirection is ever enough."

He continued, "I will not change who I am, how I eat, or the faith that I'm proud to call my own. But there is one thing that I will change. I will no longer look for myself in the shadows. I will find myself in the light."

Mamdani, who won the primary in stunning fashion, has faced scepticism from some in the Democratic establishment, particularly over his criticism of Israel. Yesterday, Mamdani earned the endorsement of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Cuomo told reporters that Mamdani's criticism of Israel had made Jewish people afraid to leave their homes.

He also rejected Mamdani's claim that Muslim New Yorkers have been made to feel uncomfortable in their own city.

"Don't tell me New Yorkers are Islamophobic. They're not," Cuomo said.

"What he is doing is the oldest, dirtiest political trick in the book: divide people," Cuomo said.

www.tbsnews.net

In emotional speech, Zohran Mamdani defends Muslim identity against 'racist and baseless' attacks

Zohran Mamdani spoke in emotional terms about the indignities long faced by New York City's Muslim population.
www.tbsnews.net www.tbsnews.net
 
JaDed said:
Mamdani has run the best campaign in recent memory, for all his idealism a very inclusive and energetic campaign with so much youth support.

I hope he can work with everyone because good leaders have to be good consistently unlike the bad ones.
Click to expand...
He has 90k volunteers in a city of 8 million.
 
Like all left wing people ( heart in the right place), he will struggle to deliver and then polls will come out( paid for Bill Ackman and other billionaires) to show he is the least popular mayor in NYs history. His biggest obstacle to delivery will be the Unions( if the UK is anything to go by).
 
HalBass9 said:
He has 90k volunteers in a city of 8 million.
Click to expand...
Yeah even Hindu progressives do support him, Kal Penn has been campaigning endlessly for him , I’m just wary of his idealism… socialist policies in a greedy city hardly works.
 
Bewal Express said:
Like all left wing people ( heart in the right place), he will struggle to deliver and then polls will come out( paid for Bill Ackman and other billionaires) to show he is the least popular mayor in NYs history. His biggest obstacle to delivery will be the Unions( if the UK is anything to go by).
Click to expand...
Unfortunate truth, that’s why I prefer centrists now, they know they need capital to distribute capital.
 
Bewal Express said:
I should also added that without these sort of people there be no workers rights or any sort of social net for the lower paid.
Click to expand...

As the US economy keeps shrinking and over a trillion dollars is locked within the top five tech giants, circulating only among themselves, politicians like Mamdani will naturally rise in popularity. When wealth stays at the top, working class Americans will turn to leaders who promise stronger social safety nets, because surviving, not thriving, becomes the goal.
 
HalBass9 said:
As the US economy keeps shrinking and over a trillion dollars is locked within the top five tech giants, circulating only among themselves, politicians like Mamdani will naturally rise in popularity. When wealth stays at the top, working class Americans will turn to leaders who promise stronger social safety nets, because surviving, not thriving, becomes the goal.
Click to expand...
Maybe but the American Working class seems to generally vote against their own interests. You often see them saying that taxes should be low for the richest because they are sold the dream that one day they too might join them and they too can benefit from the low taxes. In the meantime they forget they have to pay for expensive health care etc.
 
Bewal Express said:
Maybe but the American Working class seems to generally vote against their own interests. You often see them saying that taxes should be low for the richest because they are sold the dream that one day they too might join them and they too can benefit from the low taxes. In the meantime they forget they have to pay for expensive health care etc.
Click to expand...
That’s because any candidate who even mentions expanding the social safety net usually gets sidelined or pushed off the ballot, but this time, they couldn’t pull that off in New York City.
 
HalBass9 said:
That’s because any candidate who even mentions expanding the social safety net usually gets sidelined or pushed off the ballot, but this time, they couldn’t pull that off in New York City.
Click to expand...
True. And who pays for the adverts against them? 🤣🤣
 
Bewal Express said:
Maybe but the American Working class seems to generally vote against their own interests. You often see them saying that taxes should be low for the richest because they are sold the dream that one day they too might join them and they too can benefit from the low taxes. In the meantime they forget they have to pay for expensive health care etc.
Click to expand...
These ideas have also crossed the pond into the UK.
 
The destruction of SVB by Private Equity and unchecked practices of Big Tech have ruined the actual capitalism vein.

Insane how Amazon think it can fire 20k workers every 3 years.. Amazon takes the cake as the worst of them.

More Mamdanis coming to seattle soon.
 
JaDed said:
The destruction of SVB by Private Equity and unchecked practices of Big Tech have ruined the actual capitalism vein.

Insane how Amazon think it can fire 20k workers every 3 years.. Amazon takes the cake as the worst of them.

More Mamdanis coming to seattle soon.
Click to expand...

By the time the MAGA government finishes its four years, we’ll likely see more politicians like Zohran Mamdani entering the scene. When basic safety nets like SNAP benefits and affordable healthcare are taken away, it doesn’t just make life harder, it creates social pressure that shows up as higher crime rates and deeper economic despair.

A single mother already working two jobs just to feed her kids isn’t going to be moved by tax cuts for the wealthy, she’ll listen to whoever is actually talking about rent relief, healthcare, and survival. In essence, policies that dismantle social protections do not suppress progressive movements, they create the very conditions that fuel their rise.

The oligarch government is in to make quick bucks or maybe testing how far they can push the people.
 
HalBass9 said:
By the time the MAGA government finishes its four years, we’ll likely see more politicians like Zohran Mamdani entering the scene. When basic safety nets like SNAP benefits and affordable healthcare are taken away, it doesn’t just make life harder, it creates social pressure that shows up as higher crime rates and deeper economic despair.

A single mother already working two jobs just to feed her kids isn’t going to be moved by tax cuts for the wealthy, she’ll listen to whoever is actually talking about rent relief, healthcare, and survival. In essence, policies that dismantle social protections do not suppress progressive movements, they create the very conditions that fuel their rise.

The oligarch government is in to make quick bucks or maybe testing how far they can push the people.
Click to expand...
Not enough of these people actually bother to vote. Out of the 1/3rd that dont vote, most will be the single mothers and the low paid
 
New Yorkers could pick a political newcomer to run their city - and take on Trump

As Zohran Mamdani walked the streets of the Upper East Side for a campaign event to greet early voters, he could barely walk a few steps without being stopped by his supporters.

Two smiling young women looked starstruck and told him they followed him on Instagram. The millennial Democratic nominee for mayor thanked them before posing with another young man who had readied his phone for a selfie.

Throngs of press surrounded Mamdani and captured his every moment, like running into the street to shake hands with a taxi driver shouting "we support you, man".

With a comfortable lead in the polls, the 34-year-old is on the brink of making history when New Yorkers vote on Tuesday, as the youngest mayor in over a century and the first Muslim and South Asian leader of the city.

A relatively unknown figure just months ago, few could have predicted his rise, from hip-hop artist and housing counsellor to New York State Assembleyman and frontrunner to lead the biggest city in the US, a job which comes with a $116bn budget and global scrutiny.

Leading a three-way race

Through viral videos and outreach to content creators and podcasters, Mamdani has reached disaffected voters at a time when faith in the Democratic party among its own members is at an all-time low.

But there are questions over whether he can deliver on his ambitious promises and how a politician with no executive experience will handle the onslaught sure to come from a hostile Trump administration.

There is also the complicated relationship he has with his party establishment, as he becomes a national figurehead for left-wing Democrats.

He describes himself as a democratic socialist, which essentially means giving a voice to workers, not corporations. It's the politics of Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with whom Mamdani has often shared a stage.

Trump has threatened to withdraw federal funds if New Yorkers elect a "communist". Mamdani's retort is that he's more like a Scandinavian politician, only browner.

Victory would be seen as a rejection of politics as usual by New Yorkers as they struggle with the cost of living - Mamdani's number one issue.

His main rival in Tuesday's vote is former Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo who is running as an independent after losing to Mamdani in the primary.

Cuomo accuses Mamdani of an anti-business agenda that would kill New York. He says he has shown he can stand up to Trump but Mamdani calls Cuomo the president's puppet.

Curtis Sliwa, the Republican nominee, mocks both of them. In the last debate, he said: "Zorhan, your resume could fit on a cocktail napkin. And Andrew, your failures could fill a public school library in New York City."

Rent freezes and free buses

Mamdani's message has been laser-focused on affordability and quality of life issues. He has promised universal childcare, freezing rent in subsidised units, free public buses and city-run grocery stores.

It's a message that has landed with New Yorkers fed up with sky-high prices.

"I support him because I'm a housing attorney and I see how the cost of living just keeps going up and up and up," Miles Ashton told the BBC outside the candidates' debate earlier this month. "We all want an affordable city."

The costs of the Mamdani agenda would be covered by new taxes on corporations and millionaires which he insists would raise $9bn although some experts like the libertarian Cato Institute say his sums don't add up. He would also need the support of the state legislature and Governor Kathy Hochul to implement new taxes.

She has endorsed him but says she is against increased income taxes. She does, however, want to work with him to achieve universal healthcare which is by far the biggest ticket item on his agenda at $5bn.

As he rode the M57 bus across Manhattan to highlight his free buses plan, he told the BBC why his focus on affordability was the right approach in the Trump era.

"It's time for us to understand that to defend democracy, it's not just to stand up against an authoritarian administration. It is also to ensure that that democracy can deliver on the material needs of working class people right here. That's something we've failed to do in New York City."

Among New Yorkers who told the BBC they were not voting for Mamdani, doubts about him being able to pay for his agenda and his inexperience were two of the biggest factors.

What New York business world thinks

After Mamdani won the Democratic primary in June, Wall Street leaders were hardly celebrating. Some threatened to leave the city.

But there's been a noticeable shift since then - the mood is less panic, more collaboration. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon even said he would offer his help if Mamdani is elected.

Real estate developer Jeffrey Gural, who has met Mamdani, says he is too inexperienced to lead the nation's largest city. He thinks his rent freeze plan would hurt tenants and his taxes on wealthy people will drive high earners away.

He does, however, support Mamdani's universal childcare plan, a provision he gives his own staff at his casino upstate.

Part of the change in tone since the primary has been down to a concerted effort on Mamdani's part to meet his critics.

On 14 October, Alexis Bittar, a self-taught jewellery designer who grew his business into a global company, hosted Mamdani and 40 business leaders at his 1850s Brooklyn townhouse.

They were a mix of CEOs or business owners from financial, fashion and art sectors. More than half were Jewish and they were all either on the fence or opposed to Mamdani's candidacy.

There were questions about business, his management experience, and how he would finance his agenda.

"I think he came across great," Mr Bittar told the BBC. "The thing that's remarkable about him is he's incredibly equipped to answer them and diligently answer them."

An apology to police

Part of Mamdani's engagement with his critics has been a willingness to change his position.

In 2020, after the murder of George Floyd, Mamdani called for the city to defund police and called the NYPD "racist". But he has since apologised and says he no longer holds those views.

Crime is the number one issue for Howard Wolfson, who worked for former Mayor Michael Bloomberg and is now a Democratic strategist. He was present during a meeting last month between the mayoral hopeful and Bloomberg, who spent $8m during the primary race trying to beat him.

Wolfson told the BBC he will judge Mamdani on how the city is policed.

"I think it's great that he reaches out and is engaged, but I'm much more interested in how he's going to govern," he said. "Public safety is really the prerequisite for success or failure."

Many see Mamdani's pledge to ask the police commissioner Jessica Tisch to stay on as a way to allay concerns he would be soft on crime.

He says he would maintain the current level of NYPD staffing and create a new department of community safety that would deploy mental health care teams instead of armed officers to non-threatening, psychiatric calls.

A city divided over Gaza

One position Mamdani has stood firm on is his criticism of Israel and lifelong support for Palestinian rights.

It represents a break from the Democratic Party establishment and could be a deciding factor for many voters in a city with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel.

He sparked outrage during the primary process when he refused to condemn the term "globalise the intifada". But after Jewish New Yorkers expressed their unease to him, telling him they felt unsafe on hearing it, he said he discouraged others from using it.

A letter signed by more than 1,100 rabbis cited Mamdani as it condemned the "political normalization" of anti-Zionism

Jewish voters are largely split between Mamdani and Cuomo in polling.

Brad Lander, the city's comptroller who teamed up in the Democratic primary with Mamdani to endorse each other's candidacy against Cuomo, says many Jewish New Yorkers like him are very enthusiastic about Mamdani.

He is a mayoral candidate deeply committed to keeping everyone safe, regardless of religious beliefs, Lander told the BBC.

Sumaiya Chowdhury and Farhana Islam of the group Muslims for Progress have canvassed for the mayoral hopeful.

Ms Islam said while they are all excited that he could be New York's first Muslim mayor, he doesn't need to lean on his identity for support.

"His policies speak for themselves and they alone are enough to make him popular."

Since his primary win, the Islamophobia Mamdani faces has increased. He now has police security and last month a Texas man was arrested on charges of making terroristic threats against him. In one message, the man said "Muslims don't belong here".

Mamdani decided to deliver an address on Islamophobia after Andrew Cuomo laughed along to a radio talkshow host saying that Mamdani would cheer another 9/11-style attack.

In an emotional speech he said he had hoped that by ignoring racist attacks and sticking to a central message, it would allow him to be more than just his faith. "I was wrong. No amount of redirection is ever enough."

Future of the party

What may propel Mamdani to victory in liberal New York may not be a recipe for success nationally. And Democrats in Congress seem worried about the implications of his ascendancy as party tensions between moderates and progressives persist.

Senator Chuck Schumer has not endorsed Mamdani while his fellow New Yorker House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries only endorsed him a few hours before early voting began.

Democratic strategists have said the problem posed by Mamdani for the party's establishment is that Trump and Republicans already cast Democrats, no matter how moderate, as socialists. And it's a tactic that is thought to have landed with some effect among Cuban and Venezuelan voters in the 2024 election.

Josh Gottheimer, the moderate Democratic representative of New Jersey, told the Washington Post he thinks Mamdani has "extremist views" at odds with the Democratic Party and he fears Republicans will use him as a kind of "bogeyman".

At a campaign event on the Upper East Side, Mamdani told the BBC how he plans to handle the intense scrutiny if he wins, pointing to the energy behind his candidacy.

There is no doubt that there will be opposition, he said, but the mass movement behind him will overcome it.

BBC
 
JaDed said:
The destruction of SVB by Private Equity and unchecked practices of Big Tech have ruined the actual capitalism vein.

Insane how Amazon think it can fire 20k workers every 3 years.. Amazon takes the cake as the worst of them.

More Mamdanis coming to seattle soon.
Click to expand...
You are throwing around terms like 'Socialist' way too easily. Socialism by definition means companies being owned by it's employees and not by shareholders. Or in other words, employees are the shareholders. I expect Trumpanzees to throw terms around like that (not that it has much of an effect anymore) but not you.

By your definition, countries like Canada, and pretty much all of Europe is socialist. He isn't even talking about single payer healthcare, which is far more of a left wing policy than freezing rent or government run grocery stores.
 
Zohran Mamdani: The outsider who could be New York's next mayor

The world’s eyes are on New York City as voters are on the verge of doing what might have seemed impossible just a year ago - electing Zohran Mamdani, a young Muslim self-described socialist, who has managed to build a broad coalition without changing his messaging, as mayor.

Across New York City, on the eve of election day, with Mamdani commanding a solid lead, there is already a festive atmosphere, with shopkeepers proudly displaying his campaign sign and people visiting from around the world for what many believe will be a historic moment.

“People from around the world have come out. Folks are just really excited about this race. They want to be here for this historic moment,” Basim Elkarra, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations-Action, tells The New Arab, after visiting Little Bangladesh, an immigrant enclave in New York.

“Parents, children, college students, people from all walks of life and different ethnic and religious backgrounds are here. This reminds me of 2008 when [Barack] Obama first ran [for president],” he says.

Announcing his candidacy in October 2024 and starting with just one percent support, Mamdani, who had beaten a longtime incumbent when he ran for the state assembly in 2020, steadily built a coalition.

He began with a base of progressives, then built a coalition with New Yorkers who don’t necessarily agree with him on all issues - often on Israel - but who have been moved by his eagerness to address their concerns, namely the cost-of-living crisis.

“He needs to go into office with as big a mandate as possible. He does have an incentive to build a bigger tent,” J. Miles Coleman, associate editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Centre for Politics, told TNA.

“More than some of these ideological angles, voters don’t like people who are fake. He has that authenticity factor,” he added.

Bringing back retail politics
In June, in what would exemplify his campaign, Mamdani walked the 12-mile length of Manhattan, meeting residents along the way and creating an approachability that seemed to be lacking in his main opponents.

In addition to engaging with progressives and a range of immigrant communities - including ads in Spanish, Urdu, Arabic, and Yiddish - he has also campaigned in the city’s most conservative areas, reaching out to supporters of President Donald Trump, asking about their most pressing concerns.

“It’s brilliant. Against all odds, it’s brilliant,” James Zogby, veteran pollster and president of the Arab American Institute, told TNA.

“This is the way I love politics - when candidates go to each group and treat them with integrity,” he said. “Every group has a name, and they just want you to talk to them. Democrats stopped doing it, and now Mamdani is doing it.”

Many of his “man on the street” moments have been highlighted by his campaign on social media, leading to candidates in different parts of the country imitating his style of walking down the street in a suit
and talking to a camera.

 
JaDed said:
The destruction of SVB by Private Equity and unchecked practices of Big Tech have ruined the actual capitalism vein.

Insane how Amazon think it can fire 20k workers every 3 years.. Amazon takes the cake as the worst of them.

More Mamdanis coming to seattle soon.
Click to expand...


It's quite funny as I was reading a comment that today's capitalism is almost like a return to the early days of British colonialism where companies like the East India Trading Company used to basically running govt abroad on behalf of the motherland. These companies would be getting mega rich while sending little boys up chimneys at home in England and the peasants would be dying of disease and malnutrition.
 
It’s a shame Mamdani wasn’t born in the US. He’s really popular with the Dems and even some republicans. He could have gone on to run for the Presidency.
 
JaDed said:
The destruction of SVB by Private Equity and unchecked practices of Big Tech have ruined the actual capitalism vein.

Insane how Amazon think it can fire 20k workers every 3 years.. Amazon takes the cake as the worst of them.

More Mamdanis coming to seattle soon.
Click to expand...

What was actual capitalism though? Violent intrusions into human liberty - slavery, colonialism? Unilaterally taking the world off the gold standard and becoming the world's greatest debtor nation without any threat of austerity measures which the rest of the world is subject to?

Deregulating financial markets and exposing savings banks to the risks of unethical speculation leading to multiple financial crises?

Indulging and promoting corruption/regime change in the 3rd world in order to strip them off their assets?

It's just blatant use of power wrapped in fraud economic theories and legal jargon.


Some form of socialism is the end game.
 
Cpt. Rishwat said:
It's quite funny as I was reading a comment that today's capitalism is almost like a return to the early days of British colonialism where companies like the East India Trading Company used to basically running govt abroad on behalf of the motherland. These companies would be getting mega rich while sending little boys up chimneys at home in England and the peasants would be dying of disease and malnutrition.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately true in a lot of sense, that’s why socialism leaders will start spreading again, tbh crony capitalism happened in the past American society as well but the unions and Libertarians helped them come our, let’s see what happens this time.
 
JaDed said:
Unfortunately true in a lot of sense, that’s why socialism leaders will start spreading again, tbh crony capitalism happened in the past American society as well but the unions and Libertarians helped them come our, let’s see what happens this time.
Click to expand...
Socialism is a failure now but in the future it could work with AI and autonomous robots as well as abundance.
 
Hellion said:
What was actual capitalism though? Violent intrusions into human liberty - slavery, colonialism? Unilaterally taking the world off the gold standard and becoming the world's greatest debtor nation without any threat of austerity measures which the rest of the world is subject to?

Deregulating financial markets and exposing savings banks to the risks of unethical speculation leading to multiple financial crises?

Indulging and promoting corruption/regime change in the 3rd world in order to strip them off their assets?

It's just blatant use of power wrapped in fraud economic theories and legal jargon.


Some form of socialism is the end game.
Click to expand...

It’s accountability.. accountability of every sector, I agree some form of socialism is needed esp In education healthcare where accountability shouldn’t mean company goes bust, from my school-college days to working as a corporate slave to now I do think Center is the right political view, center in developed world.

On banking I agree as well but thats exactly why Glass Steagal act was there which Clinton brought down.
 
Trump backs Cuomo for New York City mayor and threatens to cut funding if Mamdani wins

US President Donald Trump has endorsed Andrew Cuomo in the New York City mayor's race, urging voters not to elect left-wing front-runner Zohran Mamdani.

"Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice. You must vote for him, and hope he does a fantastic job," Trump posted on Truth Social Monday evening. "He is capable of it, Mamdani is not!"

Responding to Trump's tepid backing on the eve of the highly-watched election, former New York governor Cuomo said: "He's not endorsing me. He's opposing Mamdani."

The president earlier said he would be reluctant to send more than the minimum federal funding to his hometown of New York if Mamdani is elected.

Opinion polls indicate Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, is ahead of Cuomo, who is running as an Independent after Mamdani bested him in the Democratic primary. The Republican candidate, Curtis Sliwa, trails behind.

Trump, also a Republican, declined to endorse Sliwa in his post, saying "A vote for Curtis Sliwa ... is a vote for Mamdani".

The president added, "It is highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required" if Mamdani is elected.

This echoed comments Trump made in a television interview on Sunday, during which he incorrectly referred to Mamdani as a "communist".

"It's gonna be hard for me as the president to give a lot of money to New York," Trump said. "Because if you have a communist running New York, all you're doing is wasting the money you're sending there".

Responding to Trump's comments about funding on Monday, Mamdani said he would "address that threat for what it is: it is a threat. It is not the law."

The Trump administration has repeatedly tried to cut federal grants and funding for projects primarily located in Democratic-run areas. New York City received $7.4bn (£5.7bn) in federal funding this fiscal year.

Also on Monday, Mamdani said that "the MAGA movement's embrace of Andrew Cuomo is reflective of Donald Trump's understanding that this would be the best mayor for him."

"Not the best mayor for New York City, not the best mayor for New Yorkers, but the best mayor for Donald Trump and his administration," Mamdani said.

In his wide-ranging interview with CBS programme 60 Minutes on Sunday, Trump said that Mamdani in office would make left-wing former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio "look great".

"I got to see de Blasio, how bad a mayor he was, and this man will do a worse job than de Blasio by far," the president said of Mamdani.

Trump grew up in the New York borough of Queens and still owns property in the city.

"I'm not a fan of Cuomo one way or the other, but if it's gonna be between a bad Democrat and a Communist, I'm gonna pick the bad Democrat all the time, to be honest with you," the Republican president told CBS.

Mamdani describes himself as a democratic socialist, and has rejected accusations he is a communist, joking in one television interview that he was "kind of like a Scandinavian politician", only browner.

If he wins, he will become the city's first Muslim mayor and its youngest in more than 100 years.

The 34-year-old state assemblyman has called Cuomo, the former New York governor, a puppet and parrot of Trump.

"The answer to a Donald Trump presidency is not to create its mirror image here in City Hall," Mamdani said on Monday.

"It is to create an alternative that can speak to what New Yorkers are so desperate to see in their own city and what they find in themselves and their neighbours every day - a city that believes in the dignity of everyone who calls this place home."

Cuomo has sought to parry that line of attack by presenting himself as the only candidate experienced enough to deal with the Trump administration.

He was governor of New York during the Covid-19 pandemic when many states clashed with the Trump administration, though Cuomo himself came under scrutiny after state investigators found nursing home deaths were significantly understated during the outbreak.

"I fought Donald Trump," Cuomo said during a debate. "When I'm fighting for New York, I am not going to stop."

Trump has deployed National Guard troops to Democratic-led cities as part of a crime crackdown, while seeking to strip funding from jurisdictions that limit their co-operation with federal immigration authorities.

BBC
 
Zohran Mamdani, Mira Nair’s son, leads progressive push in New York mayor race

New York City voters are now casting ballots in a high-stakes contest between Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo, illustrating a clash of campaign styles and visions for the city’s future. Mamdani’s social-media-savvy approach contrasts sharply with Cuomo’s more traditional, experience-focused plea for a “vote for public safety, and a vote for economic opportunity”.

Campaign Dynamics Shift in Final Hours
Mamdani opted for minimal messaging, posting a stylised video of a blooming flower with the text “Polls are now open” and a link to voting locations — striking in its simplicity and digital fluency. In contrast, Cuomo used the platform X to issue an earnest appeal: “I am asking for your vote: a vote for experience to make change, a vote for public safety, and a vote for economic opportunity.”

New Leadership on the Line
The face-off comes as Cuomo, backed by decades of political experience, seeks to regain significance. Meanwhile, Mamdani is emerging as the progressive voice of younger and diverse New Yorkers. With the mayoral race drawing national attention, the outcome is being viewed as a potential indicator of broader shifts in American politics.

A Tale of Two Campaign Styles
At its core, this race underlines two very different campaign philosophies:

  • Mamdani leads with grassroots energy, digital mobilisation and a message of affordability and reform.
  • Cuomo leans on a record of governance, continuity and traditional public-safety assurances.

Voters must decide not just between two individuals, but between two strategic approaches to campaigning — one rooted in change and youth appeal, the other anchored in name-recognition and experience.

What’s Next?
With voting underway, political watchers will closely analyse turn-out across the city’s boroughs, demographic trends among younger voters, and how each campaign’s strategy translates into ballots cast. The winner will not only lead New York but may signal which direction the city and its politics are heading in.

www.aljazeera.com

Polls open in New York as Mamdani, Cuomo vie for mayor of largest US city

Mayoral race pits Democrat Zohran Mamdani against independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
www.aljazeera.com www.aljazeera.com
 
Trump is such a moron. Congress controls funding not the Executive branch. He can’t make any funding cuts for New York unless he convinces Congress to and even then there would be legal challenges with the courts shutting him down. I’m also not sure if the supreme court will support him on this as it could be against the constitution.
 
Trump says Jewish people who support Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor are 'stupid'

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that any Jewish person who votes for Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, is "stupid."

“Any Jewish person that votes for Zohran Mamdani, a proven and self professed JEW HATER, is a stupid person!!!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

Mamdani, who is a critic of the Israeli government, has repeatedly pushed back on allegations that he’s antisemitic, a charge he said in June “pains me.”

“I’ve said at every opportunity that there is no room for antisemitism in this city, in this country. I’ve said that because that is something I personally believe,” he said.

Mamdani’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


www.nbcnews.com

Trump says Jewish people who support Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor are 'stupid'

Trump has threatened to withhold federal funding to New York City if Mamdani is elected mayor.
www.nbcnews.com www.nbcnews.com
 
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