The Democratic Socialists of America are readying a vote on whether to endorse Israel-bashing Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani for mayor, according to an internal planning document obtained by The Post.
The DSA’s Citywide Electoral Working Group hosted a forum on Oct. 5 where Mamdani made his pitch and answered questions, according to the document.
DSA committees and members will hold votes on whether to endorse Mamdani from October 13-19, the document sent to members said.
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Mamdani, a member of the DSA, was arrested last Oct. 13 for participating in a protest outside Chuck Schumer’s Brooklyn residence, demanding a ceasefire after Israel struck Gaza in response to Hamas’ brutal terror attack a week earlier.
He also also alienated pro-Israel Democrats last year when he introduced the “Not on Our Dime!: Ending New York Funding of Israeli Settler Violence Act” — legislation aimed at barring New York-based charitable groups from engaging in “unauthorized support of Israeli settlement activity.”
“Zohran would not run without the support of the NYC-DSA,” the document said.
Mamdani is the only candidate being considered for an endorsement.
The endorsement, if it is made, would only be for a Democratic primary for mayor and not cover a special election should embattled Mayor Eric Adams, who is fighting corruption charges in a federal indictment, resign or be removed from office.
Adams said he intends to serve out his term and seek re-election next year.
Mamdani, first elected in 2020, represents a part of Western Queens that is the DSA’s power base in New York. Fellow democratic socialists — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Councilwoman Tiffany Caban — also represent the Astoria area.
“Zohran began approaching some DSA leaders about running for mayor in winter 2023/2024. A wider layer of NYC-DSA leadership became aware of the idea in Spring 2024. Zohran would not run without the support of NYC-DSA,” the DSA told its members.
The DSA is also considering working with the left-leaning Working Families Party on a “slate” strategy in rank-choice voting, where voters rank other candidates as his second or third best choice, to avoid a more moderate candidate such as Adams from winning the Democratic primary.