Cuomo calls Mamdani’s views ‘blatantly antisemitic,’ upping rhetoric in NYC mayoral race

Former New York governor Andrew Cuomo says his opponent in the New York City mayoral race, Zohran Mamdani, has antisemitic views.

“It’s deeply alarming to see how many have grown complacent with a candidate whose views are blatantly antisemitic. But New Yorkers: We have the power to protect the values that make this city strong,” Cuomo says in a statement.

Cuomo shares a clip of an appearance he made last night at a town hall event for the Jewish community.

“There is no New York without the Jewish community,” Cuomo says in the video, characterizing Mamdani as a “candidate who runs based on his antisemitic stance.”

There is no New York without the Jewish community.

It’s deeply alarming to see how many have grown complacent with a candidate whose views are blatantly antisemitic. But New Yorkers: we have the power to protect the values that make this city strong.

This is one of the most… pic.twitter.com/kvRbbmVoJu

— Andrew Cuomo (@andrewcuomo) October 21, 2025

“It is the complacency of New Yorkers that I find more disturbing, because I believed in my heart and soul we were better as a community, as a people, than this,” he says.

The town hall event was on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and hosted by Aish’s Jewish Wisdom Society and moderated by Elisha Wiesel, the son of Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel.

Cuomo’s accusations against Mamdani mark an escalation in rhetoric. Last week, at a mayoral debate, Cuomo refrained from labeling Mamdani an antisemite.

Mamdani’s campaign rejects the accusation.

“Zohran will be a mayor who stands with Jewish New Yorkers, not one who tries to weaponize their pain for craven political gain,” a Mamdani spokesperson tells Politico.

Cuomo is a pro-Israel centrist; Mamdani, a far-left candidate, is a harsh critic of Israel. Mamdani, as the Democratic party nominee, is the heavy favorite to win the November 4 vote.