How Islamophobic attacks on Zohran Mamdani target Jewish voters
Fearmongering directed largely at New York City’s Jewish community plays on the fact that Mamdani is Muslim
Zohran Mamdani walks with Brad Lander, the highest-ranking Jewish official in New York City who co-endorsed with Mamdani in the ranked choice primary. Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
By Mira Fox June 25, 2025
Apparently, it’s time for Jews to flee New York City for Florida. At least, that’s what the Republican Jewish Coalition is telling people. And Betar, the far-right Israeli group. And a slew of Jews online, whether they’re influencers or random commenters on a subreddit. Or at least they’re telling them to leave New York.
The reason for the proposed exodus is Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old Muslim Democratic Socialist who just won New York City’s Democratic primary for mayor in an astonishing triumph over Andrew Cuomo’s massive war chest and dynastic name recognition.
Laura Loomer — Trump’s unofficial advisor and online attack dog — said Mamdani will cause another 9/11 in New York. Florida congressman Randy Fine accused him of wanting to start a “caliphate” in the city. On Jewish subreddits, usesrs claimed Mamdani’s plan to make housing more affordable relied on pushing Jews out of the city. On X, some said he will direct all the city’s funding to fighting Islamophobia and ignore — or even encourage — antisemitic attacks, while others allege he will penalize or even close all synagogues.
It’s not surprising that national figures are weighing in on the city’s mayoral race; Mamdani’s campaign has, for months, been understood as a referendum on the Democratic playbook. The fact that in the first round of voting — without even needing the votes he will likely get from tabulating ranked choice ballots — he defeated a well-funded, well-known political player like Cuomo with leftist, socialist policies instead of centrist, moderate ones was something no polls or pundits predicted.
But the tenor of many of the attacks have little to do with Mamdani’s politics, campaign strategy or statements; they are more focused on the fact that he is Muslim. Targeted language about Sharia law, Muslim caliphates and jihad are popping online. Had Brad Lander, another progressive candidate — who co-endorsed with Mamdani in the city’s ranked choice ballot — won, people might have attacked his plans for affordable housing or taxes, but it’s unlikely anyone would have brought up 9/11.
New York is one of the most Jewish cities in the world; it has the highest Jewish population of any city outside Israel. Yet throughout his campaign, despite strong pushback, Mamdani continued to criticize Israel’s actions in Gaza, and declined to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada,” saying it was not his job to police controversial language.
He also staunchly declared his opposition to antisemitism and his plans for fighting it if he becomes mayor — something he could actually accomplish, unlike changing the trajectory of the larger geopolitical conflict. He is backed by Lander, who is Jewish, and since he won the primary, other prominent Jewish politicians like Chuck Schumer and Jerry Nadler have also endorsed him, saying they believed they could work together on antisemitism. But that has generated far less discourse than Mamdani’s stance on Israel.
Especially after Oct. 7, some Jews have doubled down on support for Israel, declaring themselves single issue voters, with the effect that the city’s Jewish voters are seen as a political football. And the attempt to manipulate Jewish voters is a large part of what led to Islamophobic attacks ads against Mamdani throughout the primary race.
When Mamdani began to rise in the polls, Cuomo’s campaign and super PACs began to run attack ads that highlighted his religion, though often not overtly.
Andrew Cuomo is afraid he'll lose, so his donors want you to fear me.
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) June 12, 2025
His SuperPAC just sent out a mailer that artificially lengthened and darkened my beard.
This is blatant Islamophobia—the kind of racism that explains why MAGA billionaires support his campaign. pic.twitter.com/5nqWKnbKy9
In one mailer mock-up — that the Cuomo campaign said was never sent — Mamdani’s beard was darkened and lengthened. Bold text on the flyer said that Mamdani “rejects Israel” and “rejects Jewish rights.” Other ads showed Mamdani wearing a kurta, part of traditional South Asian dress, even though he more often appears in a button-up shirt and tie.
All of these ads were efforts to paint Mamdani as a foreign, terrorist-connected threat, playing on vibes and impressionistic factors like his looks, name and background instead on his actual policies and statements. Now, so are the tweets and posts about him enforcing Sharia law on the city, despite the fact that his own wife does not wear a hijab. And the exhortations that Jews flee the city. And the repeated invocations of 9/11.
Islamophobic attacks on Mamdani are only likely to continue, and get louder, in the months leading up to November’s general election. And while Islamophobia is certainly not limited to Jews, the attempts to connect Mamdani to terrorism are directed, primarily, at the city’s Jewish population — at least those who haven’t moved to Florida by then.
