Following Zohran Mamdani’s recent victory in the New York City mayoral race, some national political figures have indicated they may attempt to challenge his path to office. Mamdani’s win marked a historic moment, as he became the city’s first mayor-elect who is both Muslim and South Asian.
The 34-year-old politician, who was born in Uganda and later became a U.S. citizen, secured his victory last week by defeating former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo by nearly ten percentage points. While Mamdani did not receive an outright majority of all votes cast, his margin was sufficient to claim the election.
Federal Political Reaction
In the aftermath of the election, President Donald Trump criticized Mamdani publicly, labeling him a communist and reiterating earlier comments in which he suggested that federal funding to New York City could be reconsidered if Mamdani were elected. These statements intensified national attention on the race and its outcome.
Several Republican lawmakers in Washington, D.C., have also expressed opposition to Mamdani’s election. Some have called for reviews of his background, including the process by which he obtained U.S. citizenship. These lawmakers argue that an investigation is necessary to ensure compliance with federal naturalization requirements.
Representative Andy Ogles of Tennessee released a statement calling for the U.S. Department of Justice to examine Mamdani’s naturalization records. Ogles suggested that if inaccuracies were found in Mamdani’s citizenship application, further legal action could follow. His comments were reported by international and U.S. media outlets.
Allegations and Requests for Investigation
Critics of Mamdani have alleged that he holds political views they characterize as extremist, though no official findings have been released to support claims of unlawful activity. Mamdani has not been charged with any crime, and no court has ruled on the allegations raised by his opponents.
Separately, a campaign finance watchdog organization has filed two criminal referrals related to Mamdani’s mayoral campaign. The Coolidge Reagan Foundation submitted recommendations to both the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
The organization claims that Mamdani’s campaign may have violated the Federal Election Campaign Act as well as New York election laws by accepting donations from individuals residing outside the United States.
Campaign Finance Concerns
According to reporting by the New York Post, Mamdani’s campaign received approximately $13,000 in donations from around 170 individuals who were reportedly living abroad. One of the contributions was said to have come from a relative residing overseas.
Dan Backer, president of the Coolidge Reagan Foundation and a campaign finance attorney, stated that the organization believes the donations represent a pattern rather than isolated administrative errors. He argued that federal and local laws clearly prohibit candidates from accepting contributions from non-U.S. citizens.
