After anti-Israel, pro-Hamas Zohran Mamdani surged past former Governor Andrew Cuomo in Tuesday’s Democratic mayoral primary, the Crown Heights Vaad Hakohol is preparing for a stronger turnout in the general election to protect the future of the largest Jewish community outside Eretz Yisroel.
By Anash.org reporter
In a dramatic shake-up of New York City politics, Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani surged ahead of former Governor Andrew Cuomo in Tuesday night’s Democratic mayoral primary, with Mamdani capturing over 43% of first-choice votes and Cuomo trailing with just 36%. The result marks a major upset for the scandal-scarred Cuomo, who was once considered the clear frontrunner.
Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, has come under intense fire for his radical and inflammatory positions, particularly his outspoken support for Hamas-aligned rhetoric, the BDS movement, and his harsh anti-Israel views. His agenda is not only fueling antisemitism at a time when it is already at record levels, but also includes policies that are deeply hostile to law enforcement and completely disconnected from the concerns of working-class New Yorkers.
Although Mamdani holds a commanding lead, the race is not officially over due to New York City’s ranked-choice voting system. Since no candidate received a majority, the Board of Elections will spend the coming days eliminating the lowest-performing candidates and reallocating their supporters’ next-choice votes. This tabulation process, which could shift the final outcome, will be completed by early to mid-July. Still, with Mamdani also polling well as a second-choice pick, his lead appears difficult to overcome.
The winner of the Democratic primary will face off in the November general election against incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, running as an independent after his recent legal troubles, and Republican Curtis Sliwa. While Cuomo has conceded the primary, he left the door open to a potential independent run, saying, “We’re going to take a look and make some decisions.” Such a move could split the moderate vote and further boost Mamdani’s chances in the fall.
“I understand this isn’t the result many of us were hoping for, and many are scared of what this can mean for Crown Heights”, Shmuel Rosenstein of the Crown Heights Vaad Hakohol told Anash.org. “There is something the community can do to help in this election: Register to vote. Your voice only carries weight if you are registered to vote and actually go vote.”
With the general election now shaping up to be a high-stakes ideological battle over the future of the city – and of the largest Jewish community outside of Israel – voter turnout will be critical.
“We have an uphill battle ahead of us”, Rothstein said. “The only way we can win is if everyone actually comes out to vote in November.”
Make your voice count. If you’re 18 or older, register today and be ready to vote in November.
Discussion
We appreciate your feedback. If you have any additional information to contribute to this article, it will be added below.