Democratic Voters Side With Mamdani— Not With AIPAC, Hakeem Jeffries Or Chuck Schumer

Remind Me Again Who the Extremists Are

"Zohran Mamdani" by Nancy Ohanian

NYC is the most Jewish city in the world— 1.9 million Jews, about 13% of the city’s population. But that doesn’t mean New York supports Israeli genocide in Gaza. In fact, the results of a new Data For Progress survey of NYC Democratic primary voters led Dave Weigel to conclude that these “primary voters overwhelmingly believe that Israel is ‘committing genocide’ in Gaza and that the United States should stop arming the Jewish state.” That's very much at odds with the Democratic Party establishment, which seems increasing in a detestable time warp of its own making.

We’ll get back to Weigel in a moment. First some polling-porn, like the graphic above showing how much Democrats have come to hate AIPAC. Now favorable/unfavorable opinions of politicians in the news:

• Bernie- 79% to 17% 

• AOC- 75% to 15%

• Brad Lander- 68% to 13%

• Zohran Mamdani- 68% to 26%

• Hakeem Jeffries- 58% to 31%

• Kathy Hochul- 60% to 35%

• Chuck Schumer- 50% to 43%

• Kirsten Gillibrand- 43% to 40%

• Andrew Cuomo- 44% to 56%

• Eric Adams- 19% to 81%

• Benjamin Netanyahu- 10% to 74%

• Señor Trumpanzee- 6% to 92%

27% of voters said that foreign policy and relations with Israel played a role in their vote for mayor— compared to 74% who picked affordable house, 64% who picked lowering costs, 57% who said crime and public safety, 53% who picked health care access and costs and 52% who picked public transportation. But of the 27% who picked foreign policy, 78% said we should reduced U.S. support for Israel while just 21% said we should either increase it or even just leave it as is. Weigel also noted that  when asked if the city should enforce the arrest warrant against Netanyahu, which Mamdani supports, 63% of primary voters said yes.

Fifty-seven percent of New York Democrats said they would be ‘less likely’ to support any congressional candidate next year who did not endorse Mamdani for mayor. And 72% favored candidates who would vote to “withhold U.S. weapons to Israel.” The NYC congressmembers have been led into anti-Mamdani positions by Schumer, Gillibrand and Jeffries. Aside from Republican Nicole Malliotakis, those who have been most hostile to Mamdani are Ritchie Torres, Dan Goldman, George Latimer, Laura Gillen, Greg Meeks, Tom Suozzi, Yvette Clarke and Grace Meng.

NYC Democratic voters support blocking bombs to Israel, recognizing Israel’s genocide in Gaza, holding Israel accountable for its violations of the law and for their own members of Congress to cut ties with AIPAC.

Beth Miller, the political director of Jewish Voice for Peace Action told Weigel that “Democrats should pay very close attention, and act accordingly, by ending US support for this genocide. Someone like Chuck Schumer, someone like Hakeem Jeffries, someone like Dan Goldman— they have voted to send more arms to Israel as it slaughters and starves Palestinians in Gaza, and that must end.” Weigel wrote that “There are few issues on which the opinions of Democratic voters stray further from their party than continued military support for Israel. (Data For Progress executive director Ryan O’Donnell told me that only Medicare for All comes close.) Pro-Israel Democrats have sounded the alarms about this, fretting that the continuation of the war— the constant, grisly images from Gaza, the literal gifts Netanyahu keeps handing Donald Trump— is making it even harder for them.”

Mamdani voters were asked what swayed them to vote for him:

• TV ads and mail- 21%

• His debate performance- 51%

• His field operation- 20%

• His plans to lower costs- 89%

• His personality and energy- 60%

• His social media presence and videos- 31%

• His support for Palestinian rights- 62%

• His willingness to criticize the Israeli government- 46%

• Plans to tax the wealthy and stand up to corporations- 86%

• Plans to remove red tape and regulatory bottlenecks- 54%

These numbers aren’t misleading anyone. Democratic voters— and not just in NYC— are light years ahead of their party’s leadership. They want justice, not genocide. They want housing and healthcare, not endless war and weapons for rogue regimes. And they are clearly ready to reward candidates who challenge the status quo and punish those who perpetuate it. But the Democratic establishment has yet to get the message and they’re going to have to learn the hard way. Figures like Schumer, Jeffries, Gillibrand and their loyal lieutenants continue to behave like it's still 2002, when fear mongering and fealty to AIPAC could pass for foreign policy. They out of step with their own base and they’re sprinting in the opposite direction the grassroots. Worse, they’re still  trying to drag the rest of the party— and the rest of the country— with them, kneecapping bold candidates like Mamdani who represent the emerging Democratic consensus.

If you’re a DWT regular, you already know that this isn’t just about Israel and Gaza. It’s about a party leadership so beholden to corporate donors, outdated orthodoxies and Beltway groupthink that they’re willing to alienate their most engaged, energized and morally serious voters— and watch Republicans win the White House, the Senate and the House rather than pulls their heads out of AIPAC’s ass. It's about a calcified establishment that views moral clarity and grassroots momentum as threats rather than assets. If Democrats want to win elections— and deserve to win them, not just win because of an anti-red wave— they need to stop treating bold progressives like enemies and start realizing they represent the future of the party… because if the polling shows anything, it’s this: the base is no longer following the establishment. The question now is whether the establishment is willing to follow the base— or be replaced by it.

"Let's Fix This" by Nancy Ohanian