Councilwoman Rashida Tlaib, known for her critical stance toward Israel, is actively fundraising for mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani through text messages aimed at potential donors. However, not everyone is thrilled with this approach.
Tlaib’s fundraising message recently reached prospective contributors’ phones, benefiting from the low-cost outreach by the Promandani Group in New York.
Like many lawmakers from Michigan, Mamdani is an outspoken critic of Israel and backs movements for boycotts, divestments, and sanctions against the country.
In her appeal, Tlaib mentioned, “Zohran is at the forefront of advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza, and workers’ rights haven’t attracted sufficient funding for his campaign under New York City’s public financing system.”
The Mamdani campaign has already hit the maximum funding threshold for the system, having amassed a significant number of small donations that qualify for matching public funds. So far, the campaign has raised around $60,000, in contrast to the hefty $4 million collected by the FIX The City Super PAC, which supports Andrew Cuomo, a leading candidate and former governor.
Tlaib expressed frustration in an ad, stating, “Cuomo is defending Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza while his super PACs are backed by wealthy donors.”
A Jewish donor, who wished to remain anonymous, remarked that he was “pleased” to receive Tlaib’s fundraising text for Mamdani.
Kalman Yeger, a Brooklyn Assemblyman, voiced concern over Tlaib’s role in Mamdani’s fundraising efforts, stating, “Unfortunately, there are anti-Semitic individuals in New York who support her messages. Mamdani represents one of the most anti-Semitic political stances we’ve seen in the city.”
Mamdani, who serves as a state legislator in West Queens, currently ranks second in polls for the Democratic primary behind Cuomo. Recently, Tlaib participated in a virtual event organized by democratic socialists to support Mamdani.
A member of the “Squad” in Congress alongside figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib has been vocal in her support for Hamas during her time in office, facing criticism for her calls for the dismantling of the Jewish state.
During a speech by Netanyahu at Congress last spring, Tlaib faced backlash for displaying signs accusing Israeli leaders of being “war criminals” and committing “genocide.”
Moreover, Tlaib has repeatedly critiqued then-President Joe Biden as an “enabler” regarding the Israeli-Hamas conflict and has not supported Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential election. Some Republicans have labeled her a “poster child” for the backlash against political correctness, following her disruption during a joint presidential meeting last month.
