Zoran Mamdani has secured the Democratic primary for New York City’s upcoming mayoral race, yet many local Democrats aren’t on board with him. In fact, during the first round against Andrew Cuomo and Brad Landers, he and Landers failed to gain a majority of votes.
The Post reached out to various “Never Mamdani” Democrats citywide to discuss their misgivings about the frontrunner, which range from his perceived anti-business policies to what they see as a disconnect from working-class realities.
“He wants to turn this metropolis into a college town.”
Reverend Conrad Tirado expressed concern that Mamdani’s anti-capitalist views could jeopardize the job market essential for community prosperity. “Historically, black economic empowerment in New York City was achieved through private property ownership. Those opposed to private property, in my view, are opposing a significant avenue of black wealth,” he explained.
At 61, Mr. Tirado, a recently retired professor of black studies at the City University of New York, who resides in Bedford-Stuyvesant, former supported Eric Adams. He mentioned that many black voters are unfamiliar with Mamdani and indicated he too would likely vote for Cuomo.
“I embrace New York as it is. I’m not interested in transforming it into a college town like Cambridge, Massachusetts,” he remarked regarding Mamdani’s policies. “With bike lanes and congestion pricing, they’re making the city feel more like a college town.”
“If he wins, I’ll move out.”
Andrew Bernstein, who lives in the East Village, finds Mamdani’s pledges to lower housing costs unconvincing. He believes that freezing rents will exacerbate New York’s existing housing crisis.
“Housing affordability is already nonexistent… This situation is fundamentally broken. Mamdani’s plan isn’t going to solve it; it’ll only hike up rents for others,” Bernstein elaborated, noting his inclination to leave New York for Florida or New Jersey if Mamdani is elected.
“If people had the chance to leave, I suspect a lot would,” he added. “He seems to be pandering; I don’t think he genuinely believes in his current rhetoric. He’s more aligned with socialism.”
“We know that the reason socialism fails is because families fled socialism.”
Phil Wong, a resident of Elmhurst in Queens, reflects on his family’s escape from socialism in China. He cautions that Mamdani’s supporters may mistakenly believe they are entitled to “free health care, free buses, free rent…” but, as he puts it, “Nothing comes for free.”
At 59, Wong leads the Regional Education Council for New York City’s 24th Ward and is particularly worried about Mamdani’s potential cancellation of gifted programs.
“If he follows the ideas of young hipsters who don’t have kids or school board experience, it could seriously harm education. As a parent of three, I know these programs are in high demand, and removing them would lead to an exodus of families.”
Wong, identifying as a moderate Democrat, is also running for City Council but fears Mamdani’s policies could worsen crime.
“Where does the money come from to make it free?”
Alicia Barksdale, 64, a former toll collector, is skeptical about Mamdani’s initiative to implement free bus services.
“How will he afford it? When I hear ‘free transit,’ I worry about job security for drivers and the MTA’s revenue challenges,” she asserted, expressing concern that Mamdani’s victory might jeopardize essential federal funding for the city.
“Putting vulnerable populations at risk is just cruel at this point,” she told the Post. “If the city faces financial losses, he won’t last long as mayor.”
“It would be funny if his views weren’t so scary.”
Jason Pomeranc, a 54-year-old entrepreneur, finds Mamdani’s ideological stance troubling for business viability in the city.
“Keys to hospitality matter, and the decisions he makes could have significant far-reaching consequences,” he remarked. “Diminishing the credibility of law enforcement not only affects safety but deters tourists. I’m genuinely worried that our situation could decline rapidly.”
“I’m worried about the safety of my children.”
Sarah Serway, a Jewish mother anticipating her second child, fears that under Mamdani’s potential mayoralty, which includes support for boycotting Israel, her community might become less safe.
“I’ve always dismissed conservative critiques,” Serway said. “But the concerns about Mamdani seem valid. His rising popularity is alarming, and I feel the radicalism of young Democrats is distancing me.”
“It’s going to be pretty difficult to run a business.”
Richie Romero, who owns several sushi restaurants, believes high operational costs make it challenging for businesses to thrive.
“You can’t ignore the number of for-sale signs on storefronts. Owners can’t keep up,” he lamented.
Romero, 49, feels Mamdani’s policies clash with New York’s entrepreneurial spirit. “The reality is, socialism eventually runs out of other people’s money, which undermines what New York stands for,” he concluded.
“Promises without accountability are becoming too common, and I’m tired of it.”
