The Shifting Sands: How Trump’s New York Victory is Reshaping the Mayoral Race
New York City’s political landscape is undergoing a seismic shift. The surprising strength of Donald Trump’s campaign in the city, particularly among working-class voters, has forced progressive mayoral candidates to recalibrate their messages and outreach.
The specter of Trump’s performance in his hometown loomed large over the Somos conference in Puerto Rico, the annual gathering of New York’s political elite. “People were fuming,” one insider recounted, noting that even some candidates seemed “chastened.” This anxiety is reflected in campaign strategies as the Democratic primary field tilts decidedly moderate.
Gone are the days of radical left-leaning platforms that characterized the 2021 mayoral election. Instead, the current crop of candidates is focused on bread-and-butter issues like affordability, childcare, and public safety, concerns resonating deeply with everyday New Yorkers.
“In this race for mayor, depending on the field, a candidate trying to conduct an ideological makeover may be too cute by half,” veteran Democratic strategist Jake Dilemani told JI. “Savvy voters can smell bullshit, not to mention there will likely be outside interests spending money reminding voters of candidates’ records. Just look at the presidential election, or the congressional primaries that saw the ouster of two Squad members — their own words were used against them quite effectively.”
However, the move toward the center is not without its challenges. Candidates with strong ties to leftist groups like the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which has adopted increasingly radical stances on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, face a delicate balancing act.
Brad Lander, the city comptroller and a longtime DSA member, is actively trying to court Jewish voters concerned by his past affiliations. Lander, who identifies as a "progressive Zionist," has been meeting with Jewish community leaders, an effort described by some as an attempt to "neutralize opposition."
One source familiar with Lander’s outreach told JI that while Lander has seemingly backed off from some of his more extreme ties, "I think that’s for his political purposes."
“Lander knows he has a Jewish problem,” another source said, noting that Lander has met with the influential Satmar community in Brooklyn. Still, the source predicted that Lander’s efforts “are not going to help him with the overall Jewish vote.”
Zohran Mamdani, a far-left state senator, presents another intriguing case study. A vocal critic of Israel and heartthrob of the far-left, Mamdani has secured endorsements from the DSA and Jewish Voice for Peace Action, groups known for their staunch anti-Israel stances. While continuing to express his views on Israel, Mamdani is also courting Trump supporters in the outer boroughs who may be drawn to his proposed free childcare and rent freezes.
Hank Sheinkopf, another veteran Democratic strategist, told JI,
“The problem is that there’s a record of things today. You can’t get away from who you are, and what New Yorkers told Democrats on Election Day is that they’re no longer just going to fall in line because someone screams the word Democrat.”
The rise of candidates like Mamdani and Lander presents an opportunity for more centrist contenders.
Jim Walden, a lawyer and former federal prosecutor running as an independent, is navigating this landscape by focusing on combating antisemitism. His campaign website features a detailed plan to address anti-Jewish prejudice on college campuses and other settings.
“People are seeing that with Mamdani and Lander in the race, there is no room on the left for people to go,” a Jewish activist familiar with Scott Stringer’s campaign observed. “The only way to go is the middle of the road."
Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, poised for a mayoral comeback after his resignation amidst scandal, is also emphasizing his support for Israel.
As New Yorkers wrestle with real-world concerns like crime and affordability, the mayoral race is shaping up to be a referendum on ideology and pragmatism. Will voters embrace the courtroom-tested formula of Walden and Cuomo, or will they risk venturing further to the left with Lander and Mamdani? Only time will tell.
