New York Jewish Voters Divided Over Mayor Mamdani's Reelection Prospects

A new poll reveals that New York City's Jewish community is deeply divided over whether to grant a second term to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, despite his outspoken criticism of Israel. The survey, conducted by Honan Strategy Group and published by the Forward, sampled 269 Jewish primary voters across the five boroughs, showing a tight hypothetical matchup for the 2029 mayoral race between Mamdani and Jewish Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

According to the poll, Tisch holds a narrow lead of 44% to 42% against Mamdani in a direct hypothetical contest. Despite ongoing tensions regarding his stance on Israel and the rise of antisemitism, Mamdani maintains a solid core of Jewish support, drawing backing from certain Hasidic sects and progressive Brooklyn and Manhattan neighborhoods. In a broader Democratic primary scenario featuring multiple candidates, Mamdani still leads Jewish voters with 44%, followed by Tisch at 25%, City Council Speaker Julie Menin at 7%, and Representative Dan Goldman at 4%, with 13% undecided.

Among all 967 Democratic voters surveyed in early October, Mamdani leads Tisch by a wide margin of 54% to 17%, enjoying an overall approval rating of 73%. However, the picture among Jewish voters is starkly different: while 45% are satisfied with his performance and 41% support his reelection, 44% believe it is time for a change and 51% disapprove of his job performance. Nearly two-thirds of Jewish respondents expressed dissatisfaction with Mamdani's handling of antisemitism, whereas 75% praised Tisch's leadership on the issue.

Tisch, who comes from a prominent Jewish family and has expressed vocal support for Israel, has emerged as a reassuring figure for many local Jewish residents. Earlier this year, when Mamdani skipped the annual Celebrate Israel Parade due to his criticisms of the Israeli government, Tisch marched to represent the city administration. She also affixed a mezuzah to her office door at police headquarters and addressed the congregation at Central Synagogue following an attack in the area.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently revealed in an interview with Politico that before endorsing Mamdani, she urged him to keep Tisch in her position precisely because of her Jewish identity and credibility. Mamdani defended his decision to retain Tisch despite pressure from progressive allies, stating during a press conference that she remains the police commissioner with no plans for replacement.