“Jewish New York is finished It’s only a question of when the lights get turned out.”

 

In the wake of Zohran Mamdani’s stunning victory in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor, renowned Democratic strategist Dr. Hank Sheinkopf is sounding the alarm, calling the result a “political earthquake” with potentially dire consequences for the city and its Jewish community.

In a candid interview with Alan Skorski, Sheinkopf—who has advised over 700 political campaigns globally and was recently featured in The Wall Street Journal article “Can Anyone Stop Zohran Mamdani?”—warned that Mamdani’s platform, rhetoric, and ideology represent a fundamental threat to the values and institutions of New York City.

“Mamdani is not a Democrat,” said Sheinkopf. “He’s a socialist with millions of dollars trying to hijack a bankrupt Democratic Party that now stands for nothing.”

A Far-Left Surge
Mamdani, 33, a State Assemblyman from Queens, pulled off a historic upset on June 24 by defeating establishment Democrats and securing the party’s mayoral nomination—despite never holding executive office and running on a hard-left platform.

His proposals include city-run grocery stores, universal rent control, free childcare, defunding the police, and expanding sanctuary city policies. He’s promised to fund his sweeping agenda by “taxing billionaires,” even declaring that “billionaires shouldn’t exist.”

But it’s not just his policies that worry critics. Mamdani has drawn fire for his past involvement with the anti-Israel group Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), his refusal to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada,” and his outspoken support for the BDS movement.

Even more controversially, Mamdani vowed to try and arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his next visit to New York. His father, a Columbia University professor, has defended suicide bombers as legitimate soldiers—statements that have raised alarm across the political spectrum.

Sheinkopf: “This Is About Defeating the West”
Sheinkopf did not mince words. “Jewish New York is finished,” he said flatly. “It’s only a question of when the lights get turned out.”

According to Sheinkopf, Mamdani’s support comes from a small, privileged cohort of disaffected youth. “They’re the most pampered generation in history,” he said. “They found a candidate who never had a tough job, never worked hard, and grew up in a Columbia-subsidized mansion thanks to taxpayers.”

When asked about Jewish Democrats backing Mamdani, Sheinkopf blasted longtime Congressman Jerry Nadler. “Nadler should be tossed out immediately. He should’ve been gone a long time ago.”

For Sheinkopf, this isn’t just about Israel or politics—it’s civilizational. “Some Jewish Democrats are so stupid they actually think they’ll be accepted in a Mamdani administration,” he said. “But this isn’t about Israel. It’s about defeating the West, whose values are rooted in Judaism.”

A Fractured Field
The general election in November now appears to be a three-way race between Mamdani, Republican Curtis Sliwa, and current Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an Independent. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo has also entered the race as a Democrat, despite resigning in disgrace in 2021.

According to Sheinkopf, unless the anti-Mamdani vote consolidates behind one candidate, “he’s all but guaranteed victory.”