Day 635 - How did an anti-Israel candidate win NYC's primary?

8 snips

Jul 2, 2025

Luke Tress, a New York reporter for The Times of Israel, dives into the surprising election of anti-Israel candidate Zohran Mamdani in NYC's Democratic primary. Tress discusses Trump's threats against Mamdani and how Mamdani's ascent could reshape New York politics. He examines Mamdani's impact on the Jewish community and rivals like Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams, who are adapting to this new landscape. The conversation also touches on campaign strategies around Jewish voter engagement and the complexities of NYC's diverse electoral dynamics.

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INSIGHT

Trump Threatens Mamdani Arrest

Donald Trump threatened to arrest Zohran Mamdani if he opposes ICE enforcement as mayor.
Trump labeled Mamdani a communist and accused him of possibly being in the U.S. illegally, fueling Republican opposition.

INSIGHT

Mamdani's Surprising Upset Victory

Zohran Mamdani is a 33-year-old politician known for anti-Israel activism since college.
He unexpectedly defeated Andrew Cuomo in the NYC Democratic mayoral primary with an effective social media campaign.

INSIGHT

Anti-Zionism Mainstream in NYC Politics

Mamdani's anti-Zionist stance is seen by some as antisemitism, sparking concerns among Jewish communities.
His victory signals that pro-Israel positions are no longer essential to win citywide office in NYC.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

New York reporter Luke Tress joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

US President Donald Trump threatens to arrest New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani should he win the mayoral elections in November, and Tress discusses the president's repeated comments about the anti-Zionist candidate and Mamdani's proposed plan to oppose Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities in New York City.

Tress offers an overall look at the trajectory of Mamdani's political ascent and his surprise upset of former New York governor Andrew Cuomo during last week's New York City Democratic party mayoral primary.

He discusses the likelihood of Mamdani winning the November general election in the mostly Democratic city, and how Mamdani's anti-Israel activism, a facet of his political life since his college days, will challenge New York City's Jewish dwellers, who comprise the world's largest Jewish population outside of Israel.

Tress examines Mamdani's opponents, including former governor Cuomo, who leaned into the Jewish vote, and current New York City mayor Eric Adams, who kicked off his independent candidacy after Mamdani won the primary.

He discusses the pro-Jewish initiatives rolled out by Adams during his mayorship and in recent months, and that Cuomo and Adams share a similar voter base in New York, an overwhelmingly Democratic city.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Trump threatens to arrest anti-Israel New York City mayoral candidate Mamdani

Jewish political organizers grapple with fallout from Mamdani’s NYC primary victory

Do Zohran Mamdani’s opponents have a path to defeating him in NYC mayoral election?

After NYC primary upset, anti-Israel activist Mamdani vows not to ‘abandon my beliefs’

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani takes selfies with supporters after speaking at his primary election party, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

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