MAGA right attacks Zohran Mamdani's religion following his win
Prominent MAGA-aligned commentators launched xenophobic attacks on Zohran Mamdani over the 33-year-old state lawmaker's Muslim religion following his apparent Democratic primary win in the New York City mayoral race.
In a series of posts, conservative social media personality Laura Loomer wrote 'New York City will be destroyed,' Muslims will start 'committing jihad all over New York' and that 'NYC is about to see 9/11 2.0.'
If elected in November, Mamdani would become the first Muslim mayor in New York City's history. And while many conservatives have criticized Mamdani's progressive policies, others have taken aim at Mamdani for his religion.
'24 years ago a group of Muslims killed 2,753 people on 9/11,' conservative activist Charlie Kirk posted on X, referencing the number of people killed in New York. 'Now a Muslim Socialist is on pace to run New York City.'
'New York City has fallen,' Donald Trump Jr. wrote, quoting a post by Michael Malice about when New Yorkers 'endured 9/11 instead of voting for it.'
'After 9/11 we said 'Never Forget.' I think we sadly have forgotten,' Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) posted on X Wednesday, accompanied by a photo of Mamdani.
Mamdani's campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the statements.
Mamdani, a democratic socialist, won 43.5 percent of first-place votes in New York's ranked-choice voting system. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the once-favorite to take the primary, conceded to Mamdani Tuesday night. However, the city board of elections is not expected to finalize results until early July, once ranked-choice votes are tabulated.
During the primary some of Mamdani's critics, including a super PAC backing Cuomo, said he either emboldens antisemitism or has himself espoused antisemitic views, in particular over his stance on Israel.
He has repeatedly criticized Israel's actions in Gaza, and in a June interview with The Bulwark, Mamdani said the phrase 'globalize the intifada' represented 'a desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights.' Mamdani drew heavy criticism for the statement, marking a tension point in a primary election in a city with large populations of Muslim and Jewish residents.
He has repeatedly pushed back against the antisemitism label, decrying violence against Jews in the country.
'I've said at every opportunity that there is no room for antisemitism in this city, in this country,' he said at an emotional press conference in the closing days of the race, adding the reason he does not have a more 'visceral reaction' to being labeled that is because it has 'been colored by the fact that when I speak, especially when I speak with emotion, I am then characterized by those same rivals as being a monster.'
At the same press conference, he said he has faced significant attacks because of his religion.
'I get messages that say, 'The only good Muslim is a dead Muslim.' I get threats on my life, on the people that I love. And I try not to talk about it,' he said at that press conference.
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New York Times
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Zohran Mamdani's rapid rise from upstart mayoral hopeful to likely winner of the Democratic primary for mayor of New York City was propelled by the simple message that the city was too expensive — and that he had plans that would fix it. Mr. Mamdani's singular focus on the city's affordability crisis resonated, especially with young voters. They embraced his populist promises to make bus service free, freeze rents on stabilized apartments, build city-owned grocery stores and offer free early child care. But whether his campaign promises can become reality is an open question — and important parts of Mr. Mamdani's platform are not solely in a mayor's control. While some of his left-leaning policy ideas are not entirely new — rents have been frozen before, for example — others would represent a dramatic reimagining of city government. And much of Mr. Mamdani's agenda relies in large measure on increasing revenue through taxes on businesses and the wealthy — part of an overarching vision to rethink how the city funds expanded social programs. Along with raising income taxes, he has pledged to shift the property tax burden 'from the outer boroughs to more expensive homes in richer and whiter neighborhoods,' according to his campaign website. Already, Mr. Mamdani's plans, in line with his democratic socialist political affiliation, have prompted intense backlash from business leaders who say he poses a danger to New York's economy. In private meetings, power brokers are discussing how to mount a strong challenge to Mr. Mamdani in the November general election. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
San Francisco Chronicle
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Scott Wiener files paperwork to run for Congress in 2028. Could he challenge Pelosi?
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Interview: Zohran Mamdani on taxing the rich, Democratic Party, willingness to negotiate
The Brief In a one-on-one conversation with FOX 5 NY's Morgan McKay, Zohran Mamdani responded to the lack of endorsements from major Democratic leaders, while expressing confidence in his plans to tax millionaires. Mamdani addressed concerns from business leaders and critics, including Mayor Eric Adams, by highlighting his willingness to negotiate on most issues, except those related to affordability, and his commitment to expanding his coalition. Despite criticism from some Jewish voters regarding his stance on Israel, Mamdani expressed his intent to engage with all New Yorkers and meet with Jewish leaders to address their concerns. NEW YORK - From the lack of endorsements from Democratic leadership to being labeled a "snake oil salesman" by the incumbent mayor, Zohran Mamdani's Democratic primary domination in the NYC mayoral race is anything but politics as usual. 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Also this week, two major trade unions, the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council and 32BJ SEIU, have shifted their support to Mamdani for the general election after backing former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the primary. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is also another Democratic big wig to issue the congratulatory non-endorsement, balking at the idea of raising taxes on wealthy New Yorkers and corporations. Mamdani's big campaign promises - free child care, free buses, a rent freeze - would be largely funded by raising the corporate tax rate and income taxes for the city's millionaires by 2%. But any tax hikes would need to be implemented in conjunction with Albany. Despite this reality, Mamdani says: "In the same way that people describe raising taxes as a non-starter, they would have described this campaign as a non-starter, and here we are having won the Democratic primary before ranked choice voting was even tabulated. That's the kind of movement we're building that will deliver a more affordable city." In a recent FOX 5 NY interview, New York City power-broker Kathryn Wylde called some of Mamdani's policies "terrifying" but shared that she was "delighted" to learn that he's willing to meet with her. Mamdani agreed that he would be willing to negotiate on most items, aside from the affordability policies that buttress his campaign. "I've always appreciated the time and the back and forth because even where there is disagreement," he said of Wylde. "There's room for negotiation, there's room for compromise, but not on the outcomes of making this city more affordable," he added. Mamdani said there is "room for everyone" when asked if Cuomo should run in general election following his primary night concession. He also suggested that his certain general election opponent, Mayor Eric Adams, was projecting when he called Mamndai a "snake oil salesman." "I think ultimately, these are the words of someone who looks at the results in Bed-Stuy, who looks at the results in Harlem, who looks at the results in Washington Heights - neighborhoods that he won in 2021 in single digits - that we just won in double digits, and sees that his coalition is, in fact, becoming a new coalition, one that will actually deliver on the promises he made in 2021, not betray them like he did over the last four years," he said. Some Jewish voters, an important voting bloc in the city, have criticized Mamdani's support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement and his use of the term "genocide" to describe Israel's war on Gaza, according to the Associated Press. Mamdani insisted that he want to "respect and respond to each and every Jewish New Yorker and New York at large" and that they are "not just looking to represent those that voted for me or just those that vote for Andrew Cuomo or those that even don't vote at all. Ultimately I want to represent all New Yorkers." He also said he was committed to meeting Jewish leaders who may have concerns about the election. The Source This article uses reporting from McKay's interview with Mamdani, comments from other leaders and the Associated Press.
