Washington, D.C. | www.mpac.org | June 27, 2025 — The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) congratulates the City of New York for reaching a historic milestone with the nomination of Zohran Mamdani, the first Muslim candidate to secure the mayoral nomination in America’s largest municipality. While MPAC does not endorse any candidate for elected office, we recognize the broader civic, political, and social implications of this development for American Muslims and our democracy as a whole.
Mamdani’s candidacy reflects the growing engagement of diverse communities in local politics, particularly younger generations who are increasingly demanding accountability, socio-economic justice, and inclusive leadership. The surge in youth voter turnout during this election signals a shift in how the next generation of Americans is seeking to shape their political future. The movement against war on US campuses is being stifled by the federal government, but as the anti-Vietnam War movement demonstrated, it has moved to the political stage, with some analysts asserting that it is manifesting much earlier than anticipated.
Throughout the campaign, Zohran Mamdani offered a platform that addressed systemic inequality while demonstrating that principled criticism of foreign policy—including the policies of the Israeli government—can be clearly distinguished from antisemitism. That distinction resonated with a wide range of voters, including members of the Jewish community, and challenged the assumption that any such critique equates to bias or hate. The success of Mamdani’s message and the diversity of his supporters underscore that treating American Jewish voters as a monolithic bloc is itself a harmful and inaccurate trope.
At the same time, Mamdani’s candidacy has brought renewed attention to the persistent challenges faced by Muslim public figures, particularly those who enter political life with a vision for transformative change. Islamophobic attacks—including widely circulated images of the Statue of Liberty in a chador—are part of an ongoing pattern of efforts to discredit Muslim candidates through fear-based messaging and religious profiling. Most alarmingly, U.S. Congressman Randy Ogles (R-TN) has publicly called for Zohran Mamdani’s denaturalization and deportation—a dangerous and unconstitutional proposal that represents a direct attack on the equal citizenship of all Americans.
Moreover, Mamdani’s primary campaign faced scrutiny not over local governance issues but over foreign policy litmus tests, including his views on the State of Israel—issues largely unrelated to municipal governance. Yet despite these efforts, a broad base of supporters—including Jewish Americans and progressives—rallied around him, showing that the electorate is increasingly sophisticated and resistant to distraction and division.
MPAC affirms the right of every American—regardless of religion, race, or national origin—to participate fully and equally in the democratic process. We reject the use of religion or ethnicity as political weapons and urge elected officials, media institutions, and civil society organizations to uphold the values of equity, integrity, and fairness in public discourse and electoral participation.
This moment is not simply about one candidate or one office. Zohran Mamdani’s candidacy represents a broader shift in American civic life—a growing demand for inclusive leadership, policy accountability, and the courage to challenge the status quo. As civic organizations, faith-based communities, and public leaders reflect on this election, we must recommit ourselves to defending democratic values and protecting the rights of all Americans to seek office and serve their communities without fear of discrimination or distortion.
