The New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America has formally endorsed Queens Congressman Zohran Mamdani, a well-known critic of Israel, for mayor. Mamdani, a DSA member, was arrested on Oct. 13, 2023 while protesting in front of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s Brooklyn home, calling for a cease-fire in response to Israel’s airstrikes on Gaza after a deadly Hamas attack the previous week.
Mamdani last year presented the bill “Not on Our Dime! Ending New York Funding of Israeli Settler Violence Act,” a legislation that aims to prevent New York-based charitable groups from engaging in ‘unauthorized support of Israeli settlement activities.
More specifically, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel and calls for a U.S. arms embargo. As a DSA candidate, Zohran Mamdani would probably be the most openly anti-Israel contender in the mayoral race.
“NYC-DSA has officially decided to endorse Zohran Mamdani in the June 2025 Democratic primary election for mayor of New York City,” the progressive group announced in a message to members following its annual convention on Saturday. “Assembly member Mamdani will have our organization’s full support should he officially decide to launch his mayoral campaign.”
The statement also pointed out that Mamdani received over 60 percent support from the seven NYC-DSA sections, with the support of 107 delegates out of 130, representing “comrades in every borough.”
In addition, the DSA has not clarified whether its support will extend to a potential nonpartisan special election if Mayor Adams steps down before his term expires next year. In recent years, the organization has shifted its focus to state legislative races and City Council seats, having successfully helped elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to Congress in 2018.
Despite all this, while many DSA delegates were enthusiastic about endorsing Mamdani, some expressed skepticism that focusing on a citywide, rather than a statewide, campaign was the right move.
“Not sure of the wisdom of this despite his many talents. Should he stay in the State Assembly and build seniority and power? Will he reveal our weakness with the run,” DSA member Doug Henwood wrote on X.
