Jewish Democrats in Congress on edge after Zohran Mamdani’s NYC primary win: ‘Huge problem’

Jewish Democrats in Congress are on edge after Zohan Mamdani’s party primary win in the race for New York City mayor — calling it a “huge problem” that he’s had an anti-Israel stance while antisemitism is on the rise.

The Dems in the US House of Representatives — including former chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee Debbie Wasserman Schultz — are uneasy over Mamdani’s outward support for the anti-Israel BDS movement and his refusal to condemn the controversial “globalize the intifada” slogan.

“To not be willing to condemn the term ‘globalize the intifada,’ it just demonstrates his callous disregard for antisemitism, terrorist activity,” Wasserman Schultz, now a Florida congresswoman, told The Hill newspaper.

“Globalize the intifada” is viewed by many critics to be a rallying cry to terrorize and kill Jews.

“Anyone that I care about couldn’t possibly distance themselves from him more,” she added. “It’s really terribly disturbing and potentially dangerous.”

Mamdani also supports BDS — boycott, divestment and sanctions — against Israel and once said he would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a war criminal.

Ohio Rep. Greg Landman, who sports a tattoo written in Hebrew, called Mamdani’s election in the city that has the largest Jewish population outside of Israel “a huge problem.”

“It is happening in the context of a violent surge in antisemitism,” Landman told The Hill. “Two Jews murdered here in Washington, D.C., at an event that some of us would have gone to had we not been voting, and then in Boulder, [Colorado] where Jews were set on fire.

“And now this. It’s definitely something that we’re worried about.”

President Trump is already targeting Mamdani as a political foil, calling him a “communist” as Republicans are eager to link Democratic opponents to him in battleground House seats ahead of next year’s midterm elections.

New Jersey Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer said in a recent CNN interview, “Someone who refuses to condemn hate speech is not acceptable. Why would he not condemn antisemitic language?”

Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), who represents a part of Florida with a large Jewish population, also told The Hill,  “If he can’t tell people ‘globalizing the intifada’ — if he can’t say that that’s antisemitic, then obviously he’s going to continue to add to the problem, not deflate it.”

Jewish legislators and Dem leaders from New York have been more muted in their response and the senior member of the House delegation — Manhattan Rep. Jerrold Nadler — endorsed Mamdani after his ranked-choice primary victory over a crowded field of candidates, including ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who he beat 56% to 44%.

State Democratic Party chairman Jay Jacobs — a closely ally of Gov. Kathy Hochul who is Jewish and also the Nassau County Democratic leader — has yet to comment on Mamdani’s victory.

Two Nassau County Democratic congressional representatives in swing districts — Laura Gillen and Tom Suozzi — have distanced themselves from Mamdani.

Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Brooklynite who is the highest-ranking Jewish Democrat in Congress, congratulated Mamdani but has stopped short of an endorsement.

They all praised him for running a successful campaign that focused relentlessly on affordability. 

Criticism of his anti-Israel stand didn’t hurt his election result in the five boroughs though.

Rep. Dan Goldman, who represents lower Manhattan and brownstone Brooklyn, also stopped short of an endorsement following a meeting with the Democratic nominee. He urged Mamdani to let Jewish New Yorkers know he will fight antisemitism.

“I explained why Jewish New Yorkers feel unsafe in the City and that, as he continues this campaign, he must not only condemn anti-Jewish hate and calls for violence, but make clear that as Mayor he would take proactive steps to protect all New Yorkers and make us secure,” Goldman said in a statement.

The Mamdani campaign had no immediate comment.

But he has promised during the campaign that he would protect Jews and all New Yorkers and fight to crack down on discrimination.

Mamdani said he would increase funding for hate violence programs from $3 million to $26 million.

“There’s no room for antisemitism in this city and this country,” Mamdani said before the primary.

“It pains me to be called an antisemite. It pains me to be painted as I’m somehow in opposition to the very Jewish New Yorkers that I know and love and that are such a key part of this city,” he said.

On NBC’s Sunday “Meet the Press” program, Mamdani said he doesn’t use the phrase “globalize the intifada” but refused to condemn it.

“I don’t believe the role of the mayor is to police speech,” Mamdani said.