From the heights of the banking, real estate, and media sectors, the city’s establishment looked on this prospect with deep misgivings and even outright hostility given 33-year-old Mamdani’s self-identification as a democratic socialist. Many in New York City’s large Jewish population, especially older voters, objected to him over his support for Palestinian rights and his refusal to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada.” Mamdani, who said he has not personally used the phrase, recently said he will discourage people from using it.

When Zohran Mamdani surged onto the political scene in New York earlier this year and won the city’s Democratic Party primary, many wondered what kind of leader he would make for the United States’ largest and most cosmopolitan city if he were to become mayor after the general election in November.

When Zohran Mamdani surged onto the political scene in New York earlier this year and won the city’s Democratic Party primary, many wondered what kind of leader he would make for the United States’ largest and most cosmopolitan city if he were to become mayor after the general election in November.

From the heights of the banking, real estate, and media sectors, the city’s establishment looked on this prospect with deep misgivings and even outright hostility given 33-year-old Mamdani’s self-identification as a democratic socialist. Many in New York City’s large Jewish population, especially older voters, objected to him over his support for Palestinian rights and his refusal to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada.” Mamdani, who said he has not personally used the phrase, recently said he will discourage people from using it.

Others have raised questions about Mamdani identifying as an African American in an unsuccessful undergraduate application to attend Columbia University years