Mamdani Campaign Hires New Manager

Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has recently brought on a new campaign manager, Maya Handa, who previously served as a senior adviser to former Congressman Jamal Bowman. Notably, Bowman has been known for his support of various causes, including his interest in drill enthusiasts and recent travels in Israel.

Handa takes over the campaign for Mamdani, who is striving for a socialist bid for mayor just months after an impressive victory by ex-Governor Andrew Cuomo, as announced on Friday.

In the upcoming November general election, Mamdani will face off against Mayor Eric Adams, lawyer Jim Walden—who are running as independents—and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.

Previously, Handa managed the mayoral primary campaign of State Senator Zellnor Myrie, who faced challenges in a crowded Democratic field.

Before her recent responsibilities, Handa worked closely with Bowman during his time in Congress, notably during an incident where Bowman pulled a fire alarm to delay a critical vote.

Following that event, Bowman received backing from members of “The Squad.” He has been vocal about issues surrounding Israel, controversially labeling actions in Gaza as genocide. Interestingly, he’s also on Mamdani’s radar for future roles within education.

With connections to the Working Families Party, Handa’s background includes experiences with prominent left-leaning campaigns, such as Senator Elizabeth Warren’s presidential bid and Mondaire Jones’ campaign in 2020.

In addition to Handa, Mamdani’s campaign has announced the hiring of Afua Atta-Mensah as a senior political strategist and Deandra Khan as the director of labor and intergovernmental affairs.

Moreover, it’s been noted that Handa has previously worked for Queens council member Claire Valdez and Brooklyn council member Shahana Hanif, although these positions are absent from her LinkedIn profile.

This reshuffle seems to signify an energized push as Mamdani heads toward the election.