What Will Be the Outcome in November?

Sadly, the City with the largest Jewish population outside Israel has removed all the masks where it stands with its vote in yesterday's Democrat primary for Mayor. It is firmly entrenched in the anti-Semitic camp with its nomination of its pro-Hamas candidate, Zohran Mamdani.

 

He defeated political powerhouse, former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was hell-bent on using a win in that race as a springboard to a political comeback. And until late last week, it had looked like he was well on his way.

But the last two polls revealed his comeback was not secure. You see, much like AOC in 2018 who outlasted powerhouse Congressman Joe Crowley, Mamdani built a coalition of more left-minded young voters, mixed in with disaffected, underpaid blue collar workers and economically disadvantaged, or unemployed(able) residents, promising all sorts of goodies paid for by the rich in the City. CITY-WIDE.

And don’t forget about the free bus and subway rides for all. Paid for by higher taxes on the workers who come in to the City from the suburbs.

“The unions that backed Cuomo, like the Carpenters, do not have many members that vote in New York City and they did not mount a serious ‘Get Out The Vote’ effort,” said John Mollenkopf, director CUNY’s Center for Urban Research, who teaches political science.

“The independent expenditure efforts on his behalf were scare-mongering and not very convincing. I think they turned off as many voters to Cuomo as they added to his tally,” Mollenkopf said.

“The Working Families Party and related cross-endorsements, especially that of (City Comptroller) Brad Lander, were crucial for Mamdani’s lead,” he said. “It was built on young voters’ disaffection with the Democratic Party establishment.”

But unlike AOC’s historic win over an absent Crowley in a predominately Hispanic district, an outright November win is less certain. Mamdani will have to face-off against an incumbent Mayor, Eric Adams, former AUSA Jim Walden, both running as independents, Republican Curtis Sliwa, and possibly Andrew Cuomo as another independent.

The three independents and Mamdani are all dyed-in-the-wool Democrats, and are expected to divvy up the Democrat vote. That leaves Sliwa as the unlikely, but possible benefactor of the Democrat division of votes.

Or, Cuomo may squeak by in November. And since this is not a ranked vote, a straight up win is the outcome.

And the forgotten Jewish voter, and their supporters, will have had plenty of time to listen closely to Mamdani’s biased anti-Semitic rhetoric and hear his hate-speech more clearly and unfiltered.

So, while Mamdani may have pulled out a win yesterday, it is still a long way to November. Lots can happen and lots more will be said.

And no matter who Krazy Kat Hochul ultimately decides to endorse, the November election will serve as a precursor to her own re-election chances.

So hang on, and stand by to see if the City’s Democrat Party self-destructs before our very eyes.