Despite Everything: Bad News for New York Jews Regarding Mamdani

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani enjoys high approval ratings in a new Siena College poll, with 69% positive opinion among city voters. Support is notable among young and Black voters, but the gap with the Jewish public remains deep: 66% of them hold a negative opinion of him. The poll was conducted between August 3 and 6 among 811 likely voters in New York State, with a margin of error of 4.2 percentage points.

A new Siena College poll, released on August 16, 2026, reveals that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani continues to enjoy broad public support in the city, despite sharp criticism of his positions on Israel and tensions with parts of the Jewish community. The poll found that 69% of city voters hold a positive opinion of Mamdani, compared to only 24% who hold a negative opinion. This is a new high for the mayor. The numbers are especially striking among young voters: among those aged 18 to 34, 72% hold a positive opinion and only 21% a negative one, a net positive of 51 points. In January, the gap in this group was only 35 points, so Mamdani continues to strengthen among the younger generation. An even sharper change is seen among Black voters in New York State: in the current poll, 78% of them expressed a positive view of Mamdani, compared to only 15% who expressed a negative view, a net of 63 points. In September 2025, his standing was reversed, with a net negative of eight points. In contrast, the gap with the Jewish public remains deep: among Jewish voters in New York State, 66% hold a negative opinion of Mamdani and only 26% a positive one. This figure illustrates that his stance on Israel remains a significant point of contention for him, even as his support among other key groups strengthens. In the statewide poll, Mamdani is viewed positively by 47% of likely voters, compared to 44% who hold a negative opinion. Siena surveyed 811 likely voters in New York State between August 3 and 6, with a margin of error of 4.2 percentage points.