The mayoral election is finally over, and the nightmare scenario so many of us feared has come to pass. Now numerous anxious voters will have to make a major decision: stay in New York and make the best of a bad situation or pull up stakes and start all over somewhere else?
It’s not an easy decision. Many of the people who want to leave cannot due to financial constraints, health issues, or because of difficulties leaving family members behind.
The Tipping Point
It’s still too early to know all the consequences of the mayoral election, but one of these is already obvious: Mamdani’s victory is a turning point for the city, for the state, and for the entire U.S. In addition, it’s a wake-up call for the Jewish community in particular.
New York is home to more Jews than any other city in America. It’s also the financial capital of the U.S. If Mamdani can win here, why can’t others like him win everywhere? This prospect is starting to look possible. Press reports say Mamdani-like candidates who embrace far-left or even extremist positions are being prepped to run in cities all across the country. This mayoral election will certainly encourage them to try.
That’s worrisome because, if elected, they will attempt to turn cities and towns that currently embrace traditional values into far-left strongholds. And in the process, ideas like supporting Hamas, defunding the police, and hiking taxes will gain traction and gradually become mainstream, particularly with younger voters.
How Could It Happen?
How could the election have turned out the way it did? Electing an important official with such far-left and anti-Israel views was thought to be impossible in the U.S. and certainly in New York.
One reason it happened is that Cuomo was a flawed candidate. Videos of him gave the impression that he was physically and emotionally exhausted. Other issues also cost him votes. He should have made vibrant and inspiring speeches, but those he made came across as lackluster and boring. The ideas he spoke about were old-school and repetitive; there was nothing new and exciting that he offered.
Cuomo was burdened with lots of baggage from his term as governor. Prominent among those issues were the nursing home scandal, bail reform, among others. Of course, being forced to resign from high office was also no great honor.
By contrast, Mamdani was charismatic, smiled a lot, and was treated with kid gloves by much of the press. They asked him softball questions and didn’t question how he plans to pay for all the freebies he promised without drastically increasing taxes.
Also working in Mamdani’s favor was the ballot itself. In Elon Musk’s view, it was so pro-Mamdani and anti-Cuomo that he called it a “scam” and accused election officials of stacking the deck.
As Musk pointed out, the ballot featured both Mamdani and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa twice. The current mayor, Eric Adams, remained on the ballot even though he had withdrawn from the race. As a result, Cuomo, who had to run as an independent, was pushed to the second line, and for some voters his name got lost in the shuffle.
But ordinary New Yorkers also had their hands in this. They knew what Mamdani stands for: higher taxes, sympathy for terrorists, and hostility to Jewish interests. And they voted for him anyway. Why was Mamdani the only politician they trusted?
Mamdani and the Jews
Mamdani received a surprisingly high number of Jewish votes. Worries that he is an anti-Semite are based on statements he has made and are of great concern to many Jews. For example, immediately after the Oct. 7 attack, he condemned Israel’s activity in Gaza rather than condemn Hamas’ brutal attack. A few weeks ago, he again refused to condemn Hamas, even when films showed them murdering other Gazans execution-style.
Mamdani does not believe that Hamas should be disarmed. He supports the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and, until very recently, refused to criticize the term “globalize the intifada,” which many see as a call to violence against Jews.
Mamdani has repeatedly called Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu a war criminal, accusing him of genocide, and said if he steps foot in New York he would order the police department to arrest him. However, he never said that about any of the recognized terror groups around the world, any of the Chinese leaders who put the Muslim Uyghurs in “re-education” camps, or about Hamas for murdering Israelis, Muslims, and starving and torturing hundreds of hostages.
Still the City of Dreams?
In an interview Larry Kudlow of Fox News did, economist Stephen Moore of the Committee to Unleash Prosperity warned that if Mamdani raises the tax rate by 2 or 3 points, people earning six, seven, or eight figures will flee from the city. “Then who’s going to pay the bills?” he asked.
Political strategist and consultant Hank Sheinkopf had a scarier take on the election. Sheinkopf warned that Mamdani’s policies “will bankrupt New York City and spread anti-Semitism nationwide.” And news show host Mark Levin found a direct link between Mamdani and Islamic terrorists.
In theory, if the blue states make life dangerous and unaffordable for Jews, they can move to red states whose policies generally are more closely aligned with their needs and goals. But theory and real life don’t always go hand in hand, and in this case, that’s because important elements of the Republican right are also becoming vociferously critical of Israel and unfriendly to Jews.
Jews Not Welcome Here
If you don’t believe that, look at some of their “stars.” Vice President Vance’s support for Israel is lukewarm at best, and there have been reports of his berating Netanyahu in private meetings. News commentator Candace Owens flipped from being a strong supporter of Israel to a fierce critic. News personality Tucker Carlson has expressed support for extreme anti-Israel conspiracy theories and given a platform to individuals who are perceived as anti-Israel and anti-Semitic. One of those: the claim that the Mossad is responsible for Charlie Kirk’s murder.
Vance and Carlson happen to be close friends. Far-right Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene appears eager to be more AOC than AOC is. And former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon has made comments that have shocked Jews and others. Meanwhile, some Wall Street firms are openly planning moves from New York to Florida and Texas.
So what’s the answer? Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli said that New York has handed the keys of power to a Hamas sympathizer. “New York, the proud and historic center of Jewish life, has become the American city where Jews no longer feel at home or safe.”
On the bottom line, there is no simple answer. Maybe in a few weeks, when the shock of the election wears off somewhat, it will be easier to make decisions. Meanwhile, considering that the standing of the Jewish community in America is declining steadily and that anti-Semitism in New York and around the country keeps rising to all-time highs, we need to have contingency plans for every possible scenario. May Hashem protect us and lead us in the right way.
Sources: foxnews.com; israelnationalnews.com; timesofisrael.com; YouTube: Dinesh D’Souza; Mark Levin; Victor Davis Hanson.
Gerald Harris is a financial and feature writer. Gerald can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
