Andrew Cuomo, the independent candidate for New York mayor, has been accused of racism and Islamophobia after he suggested that his progressive rival Zohran Mamdani would be cheering another 9/11. The comment, made during a radio interview, drew condemnation from Mamdani who described it as 'disgusting' and 'racist'.
Mamdani, who would become the city's first Muslim mayor if elected, has faced a barrage of personal insults and bigotry from multiple quarters. Current Mayor Eric Adams called him 'the communist' and endorsed Cuomo citing the need to fight Islamic extremism. Donald Trump, Elise Stefanik and hundreds of rabbis have also attacked Mamdani, with Stefanik labelling him a 'jihadist candidate'.
Cuomo's campaign previously sent a mailer accusing Mamdani of antisemitism with an image that appeared to manipulate his appearance. During a debate, Cuomo's team posted and then deleted an AI-generated ad featuring racist stereotypes. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio condemned the ad as 'disqualifying'.
Political observers note the unprecedented level of vitriol, but credit Mamdani's handling of the attacks. Professor Laura Tamman of Pace University said the anti-Muslim and racial bias is evident, and that Mamdani has responded with 'smiles and grace'.
