By Assemblyman Michael Novakhov

Mamdani’s win in the June Democratic primary wasn’t a landslide — it was a warning. He prevailed not because most New Yorkers supported him, but because most stayed home. In a city of 9 million, just 1.1 million people voted — only 23% of eligible voters — giving Mamdani and his radical, far-left base a disproportionate voice.

Compare that to the Trump presidential election, where 2.6 million New Yorkers turned out, 40%. The math is simple: radical extremists don’t need majority support — just low turnout and high activism at the polls. That’s how antisemite Mamdani, backed by socialist movements and foreign-linked Middle East funding, gains power in a city that doesn’t reflect his values or beliefs. Now, it’s up to us — especially New York’s Jewish community — to stop it from happening in the all-important general election.

Mamdani’s record is not just anti-Israel — it’s openly hostile to Jewish identity, safety, and democratic values. He has declared the Palestinian cause “central to his identity” and repeatedly sided with Hamas sympathizers over Israeli victims. Just six days after the October 7 massacre, before Israel responded militarily, Mamdani was arrested protesting for a ceasefire, without a word about the Israeli civilians slaughtered.

During the Jewish holiday of Sukkot — which this year marked the second anniversary of the October 7th attack — Mamdani again accused Israel of “genocide,” as anti-Israel mobs marched through NYC chanting “From the river to the sea,” a slogan calling for Israel’s destruction. He refuses to condemn the violent slogan “Globalize the Intifada” and has stated Israel should not exist as a Jewish state — a belief that fundamentally denies Jewish peoplehood and self-determination.

Mamdani is a proud member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), an organization that has organized daily protests critical of Israel all over the city — including in heavily Jewish neighborhoods such as Boro Park and Crown Heights. DSA has already denounced the ceasefire, lending credibility to reports that the organization may have accepted support from groups with alleged ties to terrorism. “Last Saturday, Mamdani ran in the NYC ‘Gaza 5K’ race, which raised money for UNRWA — a UN agency that allowed 12 staff members to participate in the October 7 attack on Israel.”

His pattern is long-standing. As a college student, he co-founded a chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, a group notorious for its anti-Israel propaganda. In 2024, he refused to co-sponsor a New York Assembly resolution memorializing the Holocaust. He backs the BDS movement, condemned by both major political parties and leading civil rights organizations for promoting antisemitism.

And it doesn’t end with Mamdani’s hateful values and extremist policies — the corruption runs deeper. According to the New York Post, Mamdani’s mayoral campaign accepted $13,000 in illegal foreign donations. That doesn’t even include the millions funneled through nonprofits and political groups linked to several billionaires, including George Soros and Marxist Neville Roy Singham, who lives in China. Singham has funded organizations like “Jews for Zohran,” and the “Jewish Vote,” that endorse anti-Israel candidates. Soros has funded the WFP, and the DSA — all of which have poured funding into Mamdani’s rise to power.

The Hamas-linked Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) gave $100,000 to a Mamdani-affiliated PAC. Five of its officials donated personally. CAIR was named an unindicted co-conspirator in a Hamas funding trial that ended in a 65-year sentence for a board member.

This is not just a political fight: It’s a fight for the soul and safety of New York City’s Jewish community

As your Assemblyman, my only job, during early voting and on Election Day, will be knocking on doors across the 45th Assembly District and calling everyone to get out the vote. I’ll also be using my phone to reach out to my own family and friends to confirm they’ve voted — I encourage you to do the same.

If you usually vote for president but skip mayoral elections, this is the year to show up. Mamdani is counting on your silence. The Jewish community cannot afford to stay home. The future of our city — and our ability to live safely and proudly as Jews — depends on you voting this year.

Michael Novakhov is a NYS Assemblyman in the 45th district, including the neighborhoods of Sheepshead Bay, Midwood, Gravesend, Manhattan, and Brighton Beach.

The Early Voting Period is Saturday, October 25, 2025, thru Sunday, November 2, 2025

Election Day is Tuesday, November 4, 2025. Polls are open from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm

If you cannot get to the poll, request an absentee ballot: https://requestballot.vote.nyc/absentee

To find your early voting polling site, which is different: https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc/

The last day to register to vote in person is October 25, 2025

Applications to register by mail must be received by October 25, 2025

Any questions about voting call:  1-866-Vote-NYC