The popularity of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is still surging, even with his views on Israel and the war in Gaza. More proof of this came from a recent poll that shows Mamdani being viewed more favorably than Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Associated Press-NORC poll was conducted over the week of June 11 to June 17, resulting in Mamdani having 44% favorability as opposed to a 39% unfavorable rating, leaving him with 5% net favorability, while Netanyahu wound up with a 59% unfavorable rating compared to a 32% favorable rating and -27 net favorability.
The AP-NORC poll surveyed 1,022 adults who identified as Jewish, and carries a 5% margin of error. The poll also shows that 38% of those interviewed feel the United States is overly supportive of Israel, contrasted by 24% who feel the U.S. gives too much support to the Palestinian people.
Mamdani has been bedeviled by accusations of being antisemitic since his rise in electoral politics, heightened at the outset of his run for mayor. He has been criticized for declining to condemn the use of the phrase “globalize the intifada,” stating that he doesn’t want to police language. Mamdani has consistently voiced his support for the Palestinian people.
Mamdani recently was not in attendance at the Israel Day Parade, but he has also vehemently decried antisemitic vandalism against homes and synagogues, as well as directed his administration to invest more in hate-crime prevention. He has also threatened to enforce the International Criminal Court’s warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest.
The results also reflect a growing shift in the attitudes of Americans toward Israel and the ongoing conflict in Gaza against the Hamas terror organization, which has raged on since October 2023. Netanyahu has been obstinate in maintaining the conflict, which has even put him at odds with an ally in President Donald Trump. The stance has led 30% of those responding to the poll to believe that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, on pace with the overall American public.
