The New York City Mayoral election has sent shivers down Jewish spines. While Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani preaches radical leftism, his associations have him fit snugly within the world of radical Islam. Mamdani and his wife have engaged in anti-Jewish rhetoric that borders on a call to violence. Mamdani has vowed to crack down on businesses doing business with Israel.
Mamdani opponents should not waste time looking backward. There was zero credible evidence of voter fraud. He won the election legally. Forget impeachment. New York’s Mayor cannot be impeached.
Mamdani’s opponents can work to take him down. The key is doing so the right way. This requires all those opposed to Mamdani to put aside internal squabbles and cooperate federally, statewide and locally.
Start with lawfare. Use the leftist playbook against them. From the moment Mamdani takes office, every edict he passes must be declared unconstitutional. It only takes one strict constructionist judge to issue an injunction against Mamdani. The very tactics taken against President Donald Trump’s agenda can be performed against Mamdani. Mamdani may get brief injunctive relief from some leftist activist appeals court judges, but he may lose at the Supreme Court.
At the state level, the 2026 New York Governor’s race is critical. Democrat Kathy Hochul is highly unpopular. Even in blue state New York, she barely survived her 2022 election against former Republican Representative and current EPA Secretary Lee Zeldin. Governor Hochul faces a strong Republican challenger in Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. If Ms. Stefanik defeats Ms. Hochul, Mamdani is on thin ice. New York’s Governor can legally fire Manhattan’s mayor with cause. While this action against a sitting New York Mayor has never been taken, Mamdani is a different breed. Any inability to restrain his worst impulses could provide Stefanik’s top state prosecutors with a strong case.
Hochul will try to make the election about Trump. Stefanik and her supporters must keep the focus on the failed Hochul administration. If Stefanik wins, she can clip Mamdani’s wings without removal. She can go after his ideological allies from New York Attorney General Letitia James to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. They are already facing federal charges for various crimes. Adding state charges would render them virtually incapacitated and deprive Mamdani of precious weapons.
Federally, the Trump administration can pull plenty of levers. Mamdani has threatened to arrest Israeli Prime Minister and IDF soldiers who set foot in Manhattan. Trump must invite as many Israeli officials to Gotham the moment Mamdani takes over. Dare Mamdani to act. He can follow through on his threats and face political retribution. Conversely, he can back down and enrage his leftist and Islamist base. Linda Sarsour has already vowed to rebel if Mamdani reneges.
Financially, federal prosecutors can investigate those financing Mamdani, be they rich leftist billionaires or foreign Islamists. A supportive Stefanik administration would make Trump’s job much easier. Imagine Trump or Stefanik offering Wall Street firms major tax credits to leave Manhattan and set up shop in Syracuse, Buffalo, or a stone’s throw away in Westchester or the Hamptons on Long Island.
In the name of national security, ICE raids can be increased in terms of frequency and pressure. Imagine federal agents serving subpoenas to any New York mosque sheltering illegal immigrants or engaging in other criminal behavior. Mamdani will have no recourse. Any Mamdani voters associated with Antifa or various Islamist groups can face RICO indictments. Breaking the support networks breaks Mamdani. When low-level financial backers start feeling the heat, bigger donors such as George and Alex Soros will get the message.
Mother Nature can help. It only takes one Nor’Easter to separate the men from the boys. The idea that Mamdani can get streets plowed in a timely manner is laughable. Manhattan residents will not blame Trump or seek federal aid. They will demand solutions from a man with no life experience. Glibness got Mamdani elected, but it will not help him govern. He won the battle with a smile, but now his opponents must prepare for hard-nosed opposition.
Taking down Mamdani will not be easy, but it is doable. He got elected by mobilizing young voters. At the first sign of a real fight, these coddled youths may run.
Mamdani can be broken. The moment the ball drops in Times Square, his opponents must get down to business.
Eric Golub is a retired stockbrokerage and oil professional living in Los Angeles.
