For the Democratic Party’s hard left, the good news is that Zohran Mamdani, a self-described “Democratic socialist” with a long history of what many consider antisemitism and anti-Israel activism, won the Democratic primary for mayor of New York. The bad news for the Democratic left is that he will likely win.

It’s no surprise that President Trump is not popular at New York, where a state judge found him liable in a ridiculous business fraud case and where a Manhattan jury convicted him of an equally ridiculous criminal charge of election interference. A recent poll of New York state Jewish, Protestant, Catholic, Hispanic, black, and white voters found Mr. Trump’s approval rating underwater with every racial, ancestry, and religious group, except one.

According to a late June Siena College poll, with Catholic New York voters Trump is at 50 percent disapproval and 49 percent approval; 79 percent of blacks disapprove and 19 percent approve; 67 percent of Hispanics disapprove and 26 percent approve; 51 percent of whites disapprove and 47 percent approve.

Yet with New York Jewish voters, 42 percent disapprove and 57 percent approve, up from the 46 percent of the New York Jewish vote Mr. Trump received in the November 2024 presidential election. What’s going on? Yes, socialism is increasingly popular with some Democrats who agree with Mr. Mamdani’s zany proposals such as freezing New York City rents and the public ownership of grocery stores. Yet, the Democrats have an antisemitism problem.

Democratic House members like Representatives Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar make incendiary comments about Jews and Israel with little or no pushback from Democratic leaders. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York belongs to the pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel Democratic Socialists of America, with a platform that supports the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanction movement against Israel.

AOC and Senator Bernie Sanders, a longtime DSA member who recently held a New York town hall with Mr. Mamdani, berate Democratic leaders like the House minority leader, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, and the Senate minority leader, Senator Charles “Chuck” Schumer, for refusing to officially endorse Mr. Mamdani — so far, that is.

Mr. Sanders said, “I find it hard to understand how the major Democratic leaders in New York State are not supporting the Democratic candidate. … One might think that if a candidate starting at 2 percent in the polls, gets 50,000 volunteers, creates enormous excitement, gets young people involved in the political process, gets non-traditional voters to vote, Democratic leaders will be jumping up and down, ‘This is our guy.'”

Yet Mr. Schumer, as far back as his 2014 speech before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, said: “Those who call for boycotts of Israel without calling for boycotts of other neighboring nations whose human rights records are in fact reprehensible are practicing, whether they know it or not, whether they admit it or not, a modern form of what we call antisemitism.” Can Mr. Schumer, with any shred of credibility, endorse the rabidly pro-BDS Mr. Mamdani?

During the campaign, Mr. Mamdani refused to denounce the offensive antisemitic slogan “globalize the intifada.” Yet, days ago, Mr. Mamdani did an interview with an MSNBC host, the Reverend Al Sharpton, never mind Reverend Sharpton’s own history of antisemitism. 

In a reversal, Mr. Mamdani told Reverend Sharpton he would now “discourage” the term “globalize the intifada.”

A few clarifying follow-up questions would have been helpful:

1. What about the slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”? Would Mr. Mamdani also “discourage” that expression?

2. What about Mr. Mamdani’s long held support for Boycott, Divestment and Sanction against Israel, a movement Mr. Schumer calls “antisemitic”? Does Mr. Mamdani still consider BDS ” … a legitimate movement when you are seeking to find compliance with international law …”?

3. In the interview, Mr. Mamdani characterized Israel as engaging in the occupation of “Palestinian land.” Yet America’s Department of State does not recognize “Palestine” as an independent state. Does Mr. Mamdani?

4. Does Mr. Mamdani still accuse Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza?

5. Does Mr. Mamdani still call Israel an “apartheid” state?

6. Does Mr. Mamdani believe Israel has a right to exist — as a Jewish state?

7. Does Mr. Mamdani consider Hamas, an organization calling for the destruction of Israel, a “Foreign Terrorist Organization,” as has the state department since 1997?

8. Has Mr. Mamdani ever called on Hamas to release all the October 7 hostages?

Finally, AOC, Mr. Sanders, and Mr. Mamdani walk into a bar and shout, “Hey, drinks are on you.” That’s okay. A lot of New Yorkers are not laughing either.

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