Poll: less than a third of NYC Jewish voters think Mamdani is doing a good job

Less than a third of Jewish voters in New York City believe that Mayor Zohran Mamdani is effectively doing his job as a socialist leader, according to a recent poll conducted by The Jewish Majority. The majority of respondents, including those who voted for Mamdani, expressed concerns about the rising antisemitism in the city, attributing it to the normalization of anti-Zionism by public figures like the mayor.

The poll, which surveyed 665 Jewish voters who participated in the mayoral election, revealed that 40% of respondents rated Mamdani’s performance as “poor,” while only 32% considered it “excellent” or “good.” Additionally, 82% of Jewish voters expressed varying levels of concern about the increase in antisemitism, with 73% linking it to the normalization of anti-Zionism.

The rise in antisemitic incidents in NYC was also highlighted in the poll, with 143 reported hate crimes in the first three months of the year, a 11.7% increase from the previous year. Of these incidents, 55% targeted Jews, including acts of violence and vandalism such as swastikas being painted on walls.

Key findings from the poll include the belief among 61% of Jewish voters that Mamdani’s failure to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada” has emboldened pro-Hamas protestors. Additionally, 84% of respondents who voted for Mamdani support a two-state solution in Gaza to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, despite the mayor’s reluctance to address the issue directly.

Mamdani, who only secured 31% of the Jewish vote in the general election, has faced criticism for his support of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement against Israel and his association with anti-Israel activists like Hasan Piker and Linda Sarsour. His wife, Rama Duwaji, has also come under scrutiny for social media posts praising Palestinian militants’ attacks against Israel.

Despite the backlash, Phylisa Wisdom, the executive director of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, defended Mamdani’s record with the Jewish community, highlighting his efforts to engage with and support Jewish New Yorkers. However, the poll results indicate a significant lack of confidence among Jewish voters in Mamdani’s leadership and his ability to address the growing issue of antisemitism in the city.

As concerns about antisemitism continue to mount, it remains to be seen how Mayor Mamdani will respond to the feedback from the Jewish community and work towards addressing the underlying causes of discrimination and hatred in New York City.