Zohran Mamdani, 34, has represented the 36th district of the New York State Assembly in Queens since 2021. A member of both the Democratic Party and the Democratic Socialists of America, Mamdani is running in the Democratic primary for the 2025 New York City mayoral election. He is not a friend of the Jews.
Enter dyed-in-the-wool antisemite “Squad” member Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich), who, according to the NY Post, has launched a fundraising text campaign on behalf of a super PAC supporting Zohran Mamdani’s bid for mayor — a move that went a long way to identify the candidate as at least a friend of Jew haters, if not worse.
Tlaib wrote that “Zohran, who’s led hunger strikes for a cease-fire in Gaza and workers’ rights, isn’t raising any more money for his campaign under New York City’s public financing system.”
Mind you, the Mamdani campaign has already reached the fundraising cap allowed under the city’s matching funds program, after collecting thousands of small-dollar donations that qualified for an 8-to-1 public match.
Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, to an Indian family, and received his US citizenship only in 2018. His mother, Mira Nair, is a very successful film producer. Her film credits include Mississippi Masala, The Namesake, the Golden Lion–winning Monsoon Wedding, and Salaam Bombay, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a professor at Columbia University specializing in colonialism, the director of the Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR) in Uganda, and the chancellor of Kampala International University, also in Uganda.
Zohran Mamdani is Muslim, practicing the Shia branch of Islam.
The Post noted that Tlaib’s fundraising appeal was sent to prospective donors’ phones by New Yorkers for Lower Costs, a pro-Mamdani political action committee. New Yorkers for Lower Costs has raised approximately $60,000 to date in support of its efforts backing Mamdani’s mayoral campaign.
That’s not a lot of money, especially compared to the war chest accumulated by the more serious candidate for NY Mayor, former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo, who’s reportedly sitting on $4 million.
And here is where the dog is buried, to quote the 1970s Israeli band Kaveret. Tlaib is making an effort to draw a distinction between Mamdani and Cuomo so that the former is identified with the “Palestinian” cause, and the latter with NYC’s anti-“Palestinians.”
In early 2023, Mamdani introduced the “Not on Our Dime: Ending New York Funding of Israeli Settler Violence Act,” a bill aimed at prohibiting registered charities from funding organizations that support Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria. In November 2023, he joined actress Cynthia Nixon in a five-day hunger strike outside Washington, D.C., protesting President Biden’s support for Israeli military actions in Gaza. In 2024, during Ramadan, he hosted a pro-Hamas iftar event.
“Andrew Cuomo, who’s on the legal team defending Prime Minister Netanyahu for war crimes in Gaza, has millions pouring in from his billionaire-backed super PAC,” Tlaib revealed her cards in a Zoom event for her candidate. “Zohran is getting drowned out on the airwaves. That’s why I’m supporting the official Zohran Mamdani support PAC — to run the ads Zohran can’t.”
MAMDANI’S CHANCES TO WIN ARE NOT GREAT
As of early May 2025, Zohran Mamdani faces an uphill battle in his bid to defeat Andrew Cuomo in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary. Recent polls indicate that Cuomo maintains a significant lead over Mamdani. For instance, a Siena College survey conducted in April shows Cuomo with 39% support among Democratic voters, while Mamdani trails at 15%. Other polls reflect similar margins, with Cuomo consistently holding a double-digit advantage.
IMPACT OF RANKED-CHOICE VOTING
New York City’s use of ranked-choice voting could influence the race’s dynamics. This system allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, potentially benefiting candidates like Mamdani if he secures enough second- and third-choice votes. However, current polling suggests that Cuomo’s lead is substantial enough that ranked-choice voting may not significantly alter the outcome.
Still, despite trailing in polls, Mamdani’s campaign has gained notable grassroots support. His progressive platform, emphasizing affordable childcare, rent freezes, and trans rights, resonates with younger, progressive voters. High-profile endorsements, such as from Ella Emhoff, stepdaughter of Vice President Kamala Harris, have further energized his base.
Mamdani’s campaign has generated enthusiasm among progressive circles, but the current polling data and financial disparities suggest that defeating Cuomo in the Democratic primary remains outside the candidate’s reach. However, the dynamics of ranked-choice voting and continued grassroots mobilization could influence the race’s outcome as the primary approaches.
