Zohran Mamdani, the frontrunner in New York City's mayoral election, has released a new campaign ad in which he addresses voters entirely in Arabic. The Democratic candidate, who is Muslim and a staunch critic of Israel, appears in a bodega with a Palestinian flag behind the counter. In the video, he says, 'I know what you’re thinking – I might look like your brother-in-law from Damascus, but my Arabic needs some work. Still, I would love to ask for your support on November 4th.'
Mamdani, who previously released an ad in Spanish, has faced intense criticism over his pro-Palestinian stance. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent Democrat, appeared to laugh at a radio host's suggestion that Mamdani would 'be cheering' another 9/11 attack. Outgoing Mayor Eric Adams later invoked the possibility of terrorist attacks under a Mamdani administration, while Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa called Mamdani a supporter of 'global jihad'.
In a speech, Mamdani addressed the attacks, saying, 'The dream of every Muslim is simply to be treated the same as any other New Yorker.' He added, 'For too long we have been told to ask for less than that, and to be satisfied with whatever little we receive.' The ad also drew criticism from far-right figure Laura Loomer, who wrote on X, 'The Islamic takeover of NYC is here.'
As the election approaches, Cuomo and Sliwa are framing Mamdani as a risky choice. Cuomo warned his policies would 'lead the city into ruin' and urged Republicans to back him. Mamdani, 34, has campaigned with grassroots energy, rallying with Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. He continues to urge supporters not to become complacent, saying, 'People say “We got this. It’s over. Cuomo is cooked.” Do not believe it.'
