Mamdani’s Earthquake: How a Left-Wing Insurgent Beat AIPAC and Rewrote New York’s Rules
By Mohamad Hammoud
Lebanon – A young socialist who challenged pro-“Israel” money just became mayor of America’s Jewish capital. The aftershocks will travel far beyond the Hudson.
When the returns began appearing at Queens Night Market, the race had already turned: state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani declared victory in the Democratic mayoral primary in June before many expected. According to CBS News New York, he defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo under the city’s ranked-choice voting system, drawing significant attention. In November’s general election, he went on to win the city’s top job, becoming the 111th mayor of New York City. The Guardian reported that the upset sent a shock through both the local and national Democratic Party.
Pro-“Israel” groups spent millions on negative ads aimed at Mamdani, but his supporters said the spending backfired. According to Al Jazeera, his critics mobilized young voters and new volunteers rather than suppressing turnout. Exit polling revealed that voters under 35 backed him overwhelmingly, and a notable share of Jewish voters supported him despite objections over his positions on “Israel”.
From Kampala to City Hall
Zohran Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, to an Indian Muslim family and moved to New York at age seven. He served as a housing counsellor before winning a seat in the New York State Assembly. Public profiles describe him as a practicing Muslim and democratic socialist whose family history of anti-colonial activism informs his worldview. His campaign emphasized housing affordability, free buses, and a minimum wage of $30 by 2030—policies he argued would benefit working-class New Yorkers. According to his campaign website, the mission was to bring dignity and opportunity to communities underserved by the status quo.
A Coalition That Doesn’t Remember Rabin
Mamdani built a coalition that cut across race, religion, age, and borough. In Jackson Heights, volunteers passed out literature in Hindi, Bangla and Spanish; in Astoria, progressive Jewish groups hosted Shabbat dinners that doubled as phone banks, The Guardian reported. A younger generation of Jewish voters, according to Pew Research, is far less likely to regard “Israel” as central to their identity—a shift that Columbia University’s Ester Fuchs described as “the decoupling of Jewishness from Zionism.” That change, supporters say, stripped power from traditional pro-“Israel” lobby networks in the city.
Door-Knocks Over Donors
Mamdani’s campaign was powered by grassroots energy rather than big checks. Reuters reported that volunteers made more than three times as many contacts as those in Cuomo’s campaign. Micro-donations averaging under $50 and viral social-media efforts helped drive momentum. Campaign manager Andi Novick told the Los Angeles Times the operation functioned “as a decentralized organism faster than any super-PAC.” The result: a sweeping victory that established his credibility as a major progressive force.
AIPAC’s Self-Inflicted Wound
The role of the American “Israel” Public Affairs Committee [AIPAC] in the race has drawn scrutiny. According to Politico, internal polling showed that many of its interventions may have increased turnout among Mamdani supporters—what one strategist called “we became the villain in his movie.” The Guardian described the barrage of attack ads as misjudged in a city where younger Jews and Muslims were already seeking new political alliances. Pro-“Israel” money alone could not insulate the establishment candidate from grassroots organizing and generational change.
The New Normal
In the throes of celebration at his victory rally, Mamdani quoted Ghana’s independence hero Kwame Nkrumah: “We prefer self-government with danger to servitude in tranquility.” The crowd chanted “Free, free Palestine,” but the message extended beyond foreign policy—the win demonstrated a generation challenging old power structures in America. Mark Mellman of the pro-“Israel” Democratic Majority for “Israel” warned that “no incumbent is safe” if the party allows its progressive wing to set the agenda. Meanwhile, Alexandra Rojas of the Justice Democrats said Mamdani proved “you can win on taxing the rich, canceling rent debt and mobilizing a multiracial machine.”
What It Means
Mamdani’s triumph is more than a local event—it may represent a turning point in US politics. It suggests that candidates can win without relying on traditional donor networks or narrow identity-group appeals. It also signals that younger voters, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, are prioritizing domestic justice, housing, and living-cost issues above automatic foreign-policy alignments. For AIPAC and other lobbying organizations, the lesson is stark: influence built on money and identity may no longer guarantee control in the progressive, younger electorate. As Washington watches, one thing is clear: the rules of engagement are changing.
