Leaked Campaign Documents Reveal Mamdani Team’s Deliberate Strategy to Win Without Jewish Majority
Exclusive Investigation | Confidential Internal Documents Obtained
November 6, 2025
EXCLUSIVE – Internal strategy documents and email communications obtained from sources within Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign reveal a carefully calculated political strategy that accepted losing the majority of Jewish voters as part of a broader coalition-building effort that ultimately secured victory.
The documents, which multiple campaign insiders have confirmed as authentic, show senior staff acknowledged as early as March 2025 that Mamdani’s positions on Israel and Palestine would cost him significant support among New York City’s Jewish population, but concluded this was acceptable if compensated by gains among younger voters and progressive constituencies.
The Demographics Memo
A March 2025 strategy memo titled “Coalition Math: Path to 50+1” explicitly outlined what campaign volunteer Sarah Chen called “demographic realities we must accept.”
The memo went on to detail specific neighborhoods where the campaign would “write off” Jewish voter outreach as inefficient use of resources, including parts of Brooklyn’s Borough Park and sections of the Upper West Side.
Synagogue Visits as Damage Control
Despite the calculated acceptance of Jewish voter losses, internal emails show intense debate over whether attending synagogue services would mitigate damage or worsen it.
A senior policy advisor wrote in an August email: “Every synagogue visit risks video clips that get weaponized against us in other communities. But not going makes us look like we’re conceding the entire Jewish vote.”
The campaign ultimately decided on what they internally called “strategic engagement” – attending services at synagogues with younger, more progressive congregations while avoiding traditional Orthodox and Conservative institutions where Mamdani would face hostile questioning.
The Schumer Problem
Documents reveal extensive internal discussion about how to handle Senator Chuck Schumer, the most powerful Jewish elected official in the country.
Campaign communications volunteer David Park wrote in a July email: “Schumer won’t endorse us. Full stop. The question is whether he stays silent or actively works against us. We need to make it easier for him to stay neutral.”
The strategy that emerged involved having progressive allies like Brad Lander run interference, creating what one staffer called “progressive Jewish cover” that would give Schumer political space to remain uninvolved.
Cuomo as Strategic Asset
Perhaps most revealing are internal polling documents showing the campaign viewed Andrew Cuomo’s independent candidacy not as a threat, but as a strategic advantage.
An April polling memo stated: “Cuomo splits the anti-Mamdani vote. Jewish voters opposed to our Israel positions have somewhere to go that isn’t the Republican. This is optimal for our path.”
The campaign conducted extensive focus groups testing how different demographic groups viewed the three-way race. Results showed younger voters saw Cuomo as “yesterday’s politician,” while older Jewish voters saw him as a “safe alternative” to Mamdani – exactly the division the campaign wanted.
Anticipating Opposition Research
Internal documents show the campaign maintained detailed opposition research on themselves, anticipating attacks on Mamdani’s record regarding Israel and antisemitism.
A 47-page document titled “Vulnerability Assessment” catalogued every statement Mamdani made about Israel, the BDS movement, and Palestinian activism since 2015. The document included prepared responses and messaging guidance for staffers.
One section addressed the “globalize the intifada” controversy directly: “We cannot condemn this phrase without alienating our base. We cannot defend it without confirming opposition fears. Our position must be that we discourage divisive rhetoric while focusing on actual policy.”
The ADL Contingency Plan
Months before the Anti-Defamation League announced its “Mamdani Monitor” program, campaign documents show staff preparing for exactly such a response.
A September memo outlined potential post-election scenarios, including: “Major Jewish organizations launch tracking/monitoring programs. Response: Frame as politically motivated opposition research while reaffirming commitment to fighting antisemitism through actions, not words.”
The document recommended Mamdani respond to such programs by questioning their motives while avoiding direct confrontation that could be portrayed as dismissing Jewish community concerns.
The Netanyahu Arrest Question
Internal legal memos show campaign attorneys repeatedly warned that Mamdani’s pledge to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was legally questionable and potentially unenforceable.
DOJ attorney Jennifer Rodriguez wrote: “The mayor has no authority to arrest a foreign head of state with diplomatic immunity. This pledge is symbolic at best, legally problematic at worst, and will require significant post-election clarification.”
Despite these warnings, the campaign maintained the position, with political consultant Marcus Thompson writing: “The base demands this. We can deal with implementation questions after we win.”
Wealth Flight Fears
When billionaire investor Bill Ackman warned that wealthy residents would flee the city under a Mamdani administration, internal documents show the campaign took the threat seriously.
An economic policy memo stated: “Ackman represents legitimate concerns from the business community. Post-election, we need rapid business community outreach. Cannot govern effectively if we trigger capital flight.”
The campaign created a “Business Community Stabilization Plan” to be implemented immediately after the election, including early meetings with major employers and financial sector leaders.
Progressive Coalition Concerns
Despite public confidence, internal documents reveal significant anxiety about holding together the progressive coalition that elected Mamdani.
A post-primary assessment noted: “Our coalition agrees on housing and affordability. Deep divisions on Israel/Palestine, police reform, and climate policy timelines. Governing will require choosing which parts of our coalition to disappoint on which issues.”
Sarah Chen wrote in an October email: “We built a coalition united by what it opposes more than what it supports. Translation: governing will be harder than winning.”
The Bloomberg Silence
Documents show the campaign closely monitored former Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s public statements and concluded his silence was more valuable than his opposition would be damaging.
“Bloomberg attacking us would energize our base and frame this as outsiders vs. grassroots,” a strategy memo explained. “His silence means he’s given up on stopping us. We win either way.”
Transition Planning Reality Check
The most sobering documents concern transition planning. A November 1st memo, written three days before the election, outlined the challenges ahead.
“Winning the election is the easy part. We face: a skeptical business community, a divided Jewish community, a city council that includes members who opposed us, and a federal administration hostile to our policies. We need to under-promise and over-deliver, not the reverse.”
The memo recommended immediate outreach to skeptical constituencies, including private meetings with UJA-Federation of New York leadership, major real estate developers, and police union officials.
The Lander Factor
Despite Comptroller Brad Lander’s public support, internal communications reveal some tension about his confrontational style. When Lander wore a profanity-laced shirt targeting Cuomo at the victory party, one senior staffer texted: “Brad’s energy is appreciated but we need to be the adults now. Can’t govern like we’re still in opposition.”
What Sources Say
Multiple campaign staffers who provided documents to this reporter spoke on condition of anonymity, citing concerns about professional relationships and potential legal exposure.
One senior aide said: “People need to understand this wasn’t some accidental victory. Every move was calculated. We knew what we were doing, and we knew what it would cost. The question now is whether we can actually govern after running such a divisive campaign.”
Another staffer was more optimistic: “We won because we were honest about our positions, even when they cost us votes. Now we have a mandate to actually implement progressive policy. The hard part is showing those who opposed us that we can govern for everyone.”
Implications for Governance
Political analysts reviewing the leaked documents say they reveal a campaign that succeeded tactically but may face strategic challenges in governance.
One anonymous Columbia University political science professor said: “These documents show a campaign that won by accepting division rather than building consensus. That’s fine for winning an election, but governing requires bringing people together. The question is whether Mamdani can transition from campaigner to mayor.”
The documents obtained by this reporter total over 300 pages of emails, memos, polling data, and strategy documents spanning March through November 2025. They paint a picture of a disciplined, strategic campaign that achieved its objectives while being acutely aware of the challenges ahead.
The Mamdani transition team did not respond to requests for comment on the leaked documents. A spokesperson said only: “We ran on our values and we won. Now we focus on governing for all New Yorkers.”
