Bruce Blakeman, the Republican candidate seeking to unseat Governor Kathy Hochul in New York’s upcoming election, has intensified efforts to win support from Jewish voters across the state. Over recent weeks, Blakeman has made visits to synagogues and yeshivas, emphasizing his Jewish faith while seeking backing from the community. During a private meeting on Sunday with Hasidic leaders in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Blakeman used sharply critical language targeting New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor.

In audio excerpts obtained by media outlets, Blakeman warned that if violence such as rioting, arson of yeshivas and synagogues, home fires, or assaults on women were to occur in the community, Mamdani would not intervene effectively. He also stated that Governor Hochul lacked the resolve to oppose such unrest. Drawing historical parallels, Blakeman referred to the 1991 Crown Heights riots—racial clashes marked by the death of a young Black boy and the subsequent killing of a Jewish student—suggesting current circumstances could lead to even worse violence if unchecked.

Blakeman’s campaign has focused heavily on positioning Mamdani’s stance on Israel as a liability, aiming to attract voters discontented with the mayor’s criticisms of the Israeli government and wary of Hochul’s alliance with Mamdani. Polls show Hochul leading Blakeman by margins ranging from nine to nineteen points, but political analysts note that support from the Hasidic community, which often votes as a bloc, could be decisive.

Mayor Mamdani declined to comment on Blakeman's remarks. However, responses from Jewish community leaders and politicians have largely condemned Blakeman’s rhetoric as fearmongering. Rabbi Moishe Indig, a Satmar Hasidic leader who endorses Hochul, called the statements “demagogic” and noted that crime rates in New York remain low, citing the quick response of Mamdani and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch after a vehicle attack on the Chabad Lubavitch headquarters in January.

Mark Levine, New York City Comptroller and a Hochul supporter, described Blakeman’s remarks as “wildly irresponsible,” though he also criticized Mamdani on other matters. Levine highlighted Hochul’s efforts to enact buffer zones around religious institutions to protect them during protests, framing these as demonstrations of her commitment to Jewish community safety.

The relationship between Hochul and Mamdani has drawn attention for its pragmatic cooperation despite ideological differences, particularly over Israel. The governor endorsed Mamdani last year, and he in turn supported her re-election bid earlier this year, pointing to achievements like expanding child care access.

Blakeman has not shied from controversial attacks beyond Mamdani, previously accusing Mamdani allies of disloyalty to their Jewish faith and revisiting criticisms of Mamdani’s participation in memorial events and comments on anniversaries of attacks involving Israel. At his recent meetings with Jewish leaders, he acknowledged that support from the Hasidic community would be crucial to his campaign.

In response to the recordings, Blakeman reiterated accusations that Mamdani refuses to condemn the violent rhetoric associated with Hamas terrorists. Mamdani has consistently condemned the Hamas attack on Israel since taking office.

Brooklyn borough historian Asad Dandia, an ally of Mamdani, called Blakeman’s comments “horrifying and heinous,” accusing him of promoting bigotry and Islamophobia, trends that Dandia said intensify during election seasons. Meanwhile, Rabbi David Katz of the Israel Heritage Foundation, who attended some of the meetings with Blakeman, expressed concerns over Mamdani’s comments about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, suggesting the mayor’s rhetoric had heightened community tensions. Katz praised Blakeman’s approach as offering reassurance, emphasizing that Blakeman “doesn’t say things that he shouldn’t.”

The campaign battle underscores deep divisions within New York’s Jewish community and highlights the broader tensions intersecting politics, faith, and identity amid a contentious gubernatorial race.