Rabbi, Jewish lawyer in race for NYC Democratic primary face referendum on Mamdani, buffer zones

A closely watched Democratic primary for New York's State Assembly District 69 on Manhattan's Upper West Side features a contest between Rabbi Stephanie Ruskay and public defender Eli Northrup, who is endorsed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The race is unfolding in a neighborhood with a significant Jewish population and is framed as a referendum on Mayor Mamdani's policies and the right to protest near places of worship.

The district, which includes Columbia University, was the site of pro-Palestinian protests in 2024. The primary reflects a division within New York's political landscape, pitting Mamdani's Israel-critical progressive faction against the city's more established Jewish liberal community. Northrup, a supporter of Mamdani, has received endorsements from prominent left-wing figures such as Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who have previously supported Mamdani's endorsements of democratic socialist candidates.

Conversely, Ruskay has garnered support from key figures in New York Jewish politics, including City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal. She also has backing from ActJew, an anti-antisemitism nonprofit, and the New York Solidarity Network, a pro-Israel group. Both Ruskay and Northrup identify as progressives, but their approaches to Mamdani's controversial views on Israel differ, with Ruskay expressing more caution.

The Assembly seat became available when Micah Lasher, who is Jewish, decided to run for Congress. The district largely supported Mamdani in the 2025 mayoral election, a period marked by his sharp criticism of Israel and resulting tensions with segments of the Jewish community.

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Jews that have felt lost in the Democratic party.