NYC mayor‑elect Mamdani keeps Commissioner Jessica Tisch to lead NYPD
Mayor‑elect Zohran Mamdani announced he will retain NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, praising her for cracking down on corruption and driving down crime and saying they share goals of public safety and stability. Tisch said she is confident she can lead under his administration, though the decision — which reassures business leaders — highlights differences on bail reform and policing priorities and has drawn concern from some progressive allies.
📌 Key Facts
- On Nov. 19, 2025, mayor‑elect Zohran Mamdani announced he will retain NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch in her post.
- Mamdani publicly praised Tisch for cracking down on corruption and driving down shootings and other major crime categories; Tisch said she and Mamdani share priorities on lowering crime, rooting out corruption and supporting officers, and she emailed personnel expressing confidence she can lead under his mayoralty.
- The retention resolves earlier uncertainty: during the campaign Mamdani had said he would ask Tisch to stay but Tisch had not committed at that time; the announcement follows Mamdani’s public distancing from prior 'defund' rhetoric and his pledge to keep NYPD headcount roughly even while pursuing bail‑reform‑friendly policies.
- Tisch’s recent tenure followed high‑profile 2024–25 scandals (including federal seizures of phones and officials’ resignations), after which she reassigned several top NYPD officials and oversaw measurable drops in several crime metrics since taking over last November.
- Business leaders and outside observers framed the decision as a reassuring signal of continuity and stability for public safety and governance; however, progressive allies voiced discomfort and some urged a more significant overhaul of NYPD leadership.
- Mamdani and Tisch appeared together the same day at a Manhattan memorial for fallen officers and declined to discuss past differences, signaling a public attempt at unity between the incoming mayor and the police leadership.
- The move comes amid intense national scrutiny of Mamdani following his historic win (he is NYC’s first Muslim mayor and, at 34, among the youngest), with the campaign and transition under heavy attention from political opponents, advocacy groups and federal actors — making the retention notable for both policy and political optics.
📊 Analysis & Commentary (69)
Can Cuomo Beat Mamdani?
"This WSJ opinion piece analyzes the Quinnipiac/NYC polling and the broader mayoral contest, arguing that Cuomo’s muddled independent bid faces an uphill fight against Mamdani’s youth‑driven surge while treating the race as a larger clash between establishment and progressive Democratic visions."
Playbook: The mayoral race Trump is watching
"A Politico Playbook column interprets recent polling and debate showings to argue Zohran Mamdani is a rising, serious front‑runner in the NYC mayoral race, warns that President Trump’s public attacks (mislabeling Mamdani) risk energizing his base, and analyzes how Cuomo and Sliwa’s candidacies complicate anti‑Mamdani efforts."
Zohran Mamdani and the Tax-Hike Death Spiral
"A critical opinion piece arguing that Zohran Mamdani’s openness about raising taxes (and similar Democratic policy choices) will accelerate outmigration of wealthy residents and trigger an economically damaging feedback loop for New York."
New York Post editorial board calls for Curtis Sliwa to quit mayoral race to stop Zohran Mamdani
"An editorial urging Curtis Sliwa to quit the NYC mayoral race argues that polling shows him trailing and acting as a spoiler for Andrew Cuomo—so Sliwa should withdraw to consolidate anti-Mamdani voters and prevent Zohran Mamdani from winning."
How to Read the 2025 Election Tea Leaves
"Karl Rove argues that the upcoming New York mayoral and key gubernatorial races should be read not just for who wins but against baseline expectations — small deviations in margins and turnout can foreshadow decisive dynamics for the 2026 midterms."
The silliest media scandal ever, Mamdani could doom Democrats, and more from Fox News Opinion
"A Fox News Opinion roundup criticizes the Democratic Party’s leftward tilt — using Zohran Mamdani’s rise in NYC as a warning sign — and inveighs against media 'scandals' and union/establishment misconduct as symptomatic of broader institutional bias and strategic error."
DAVID MARCUS: Guess who we have to thank for Zohran Mamdani
"The opinion argues that federal pressure and an FBI indictment undermined Mayor Eric Adams—creating the opening that propelled Zohran Mamdani’s rise—and criticizes the Biden administration for sacrificing a pragmatic incumbent for political reasons while warning about Mamdani’s socialist agenda."
Europeans Watch New York’s Mayor’s Race With Fear
"Bernard‑Henri Lévy’s column is a critical commentary — prompted by reporting that Zohran Mamdani leads in polls — warning Europeans and readers that Mamdani’s youth, lack of governing experience and populist proposals make him ill‑suited to run New York City’s vast government."
I Want Your Vote, You Bigot
"Karl Rove argues that Zohran Mamdani’s recent misstep — and unresolved ties to radical positions — will likely shrink his lead in the New York mayoral race despite his populist messaging on affordability."
Sorry Republicans, There’s No Silver Lining to a Mamdani Win
"The WSJ opinion argues that Republicans should not view a Zohran Mamdani win in New York City as a political gift — local dynamics and past examples show an 'unelectable' left‑wing mayor is unlikely to produce the national GOP advantage they expect."
📰 Sources (42)
Mamdani still thinks Trump's a fascist, but he'll work with him
New information:
- Mamdani publicly praised Commissioner Jessica Tisch’s leadership and confirmed he will retain her while stressing NYPD’s role in delivering safety.
- Hassett cited retention of Tisch as a reassuring factor in the administration’s current posture toward NYC.
Mamdani says New York City’s current police commissioner will stay on the job
New information:
- Mamdani issued a detailed statement praising Tisch for cracking down on corruption, driving down crime, and 'standing up for New Yorkers in the face of authoritarianism.'
- Commissioner Tisch emailed NYPD officers saying conversations with Mamdani made her confident she can lead under his mayoralty and that they share priorities on public safety and maintaining stability.
- Mamdani and Tisch appeared together at a Manhattan memorial for fallen officers the same day; both declined to discuss past differences.
- Article underscores ideological contrasts: Tisch has criticized state bail reform and called for more officers, while Mamdani supports bail reform and plans to keep NYPD headcount even.
- Context on Tisch’s 2024–2025 tenure: appointed after scandals that included federal seizures of phones from Mayor Adams and top appointees leading to Commissioner Edward Caban’s resignation; agents later searched interim commissioner Thomas Donlon’s home; Tisch reassigned several top officials early in her tenure.
- Progressive allies voiced discomfort, seeking a larger shake-up at NYPD leadership.
New York's mayor-elect Mamdani says city's police commissioner will continue in post
New information:
- Mayor‑elect Zohran Mamdani announced Jessica Tisch will remain NYPD commissioner.
- Mamdani praised Tisch for cracking down on corruption and driving down crime; Tisch said she and Mamdani share goals of lowering crime, rooting out corruption, and supporting officers.
- The decision follows concerns about Mamdani’s past criticism of NYPD and is seen as reassuring to business leaders; Tisch has overseen drops in shootings and several major crime categories since taking over last November.
- The article notes policy contrasts: Tisch has criticized New York’s bail reforms and called for more officers, while Mamdani supports bail changes and now says he will keep NYPD headcount at its current level (after walking back earlier ‘defund’ rhetoric).
Trump plans to meet with New York mayor-elect Mamdani, says they’ll ‘work something out’
New information:
- Trump said he plans to meet with NYC mayor‑elect Zohran Mamdani and that they will “work something out.”
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified Trump was referring to Mamdani and that no date has been set for the meeting.
- Trump’s comments mark a shift in tone after previously attacking Mamdani and threatening to pull federal funds; Mamdani previously said he would reach out to the White House to work for New Yorkers.
- Trump also said the U.S. may hold discussions with Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro amid a U.S. military buildup near the country.
Multiple democratic socialists line up to succeed Mamdani
New information:
- Rana Abdelhamid has filed to run for Mamdani’s New York State Assembly District 36 seat, per City & State citing NYS Board of Elections records.
- DSA leaders have recruited former Queens DSA co-chair Diana Moreno to run; sources say she is likely to receive the DSA endorsement.
- Local reports indicate Mary Jobaida may also enter the race.
- Moreno posted on Instagram that she is preparing to run to be an ally to Mamdani in Albany and said DSA initially approached her to run.
The voters Mamdani added to the Democratic coalition in New York, a CBS News analysis
New information:
- CBS News Voter Poll estimates 15% of Mamdani voters did not back Harris in 2024 (5% Trump, 3% third-party, 6% did not vote).
- Approximate counts: ~60,000 Trump-to-Mamdani voters and ~70,000 Mamdani voters who sat out the 2024 presidential race.
- Half of Mamdani-not-Harris voters report never having voted in a NYC mayoral election before.
- Queens saw the most flipping/activation: about 1 in 10 Mamdani voters there backed Trump in 2024 and another 7% did not vote for president.
- Poll suggests 15% of Trump voters who turned out for the mayoral election flipped to Mamdani.
- Demographic profile of Mamdani-not-Harris voters: two-thirds under age 45, less likely to have college degrees, 44% with family income under $50,000; plurality Asian and 29% Muslim.
- Issue salience/attitudes: these voters were less likely to identify as Democrats or liberals, more likely to rate NYC’s economy negatively and say they’re falling behind, and a majority cited candidates’ Israel positions as a major voting factor.
- Decision timing: about 4 in 10 Mamdani-not-Harris voters decided in the last month of the campaign.
Mamdani's top incoming aide was 'chief architect' of radical proposal overhauling NYPD
New information:
- Mamdani appointed Elle Bisgaard-Church as his chief adviser for the incoming administration (announced Monday).
- Bisgaard-Church is described as the 'chief architect' of Mamdani’s Department of Community Safety proposal to route certain non-violent 911 calls to mental-health and social-service responders, with emphasis on subways.
- The campaign proposal pegs the new department’s cost at about $1.1 billion.
- Bisgaard-Church consulted mental-health experts, public-safety officials from other cities, and former NYPD Chief of Department Rodney Harrison while shaping the plan.
- She helped coordinate weekly meetings with the NYC DSA chapter during the campaign and was credited with aiding DSA’s endorsement.
ADL launches ‘Mamdani Monitor’ to track NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani over antisemitism concerns
New information:
- ADL launched a 'Mamdani Monitor' to track the NYC mayor-elect’s policies and appointments over antisemitism concerns.
- ADL set up a tip line for Jewish New Yorkers to report antisemitism and said it will scrutinize Mamdani’s BDS-related pledges and rhetoric.
- ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, in a posted video, cited Mamdani’s 'fierce animosity toward the Jewish state' as the basis for heightened scrutiny.
- J Street criticized ADL’s tracker as 'alarming' and called for equal scrutiny of former President Trump.
Zohran Mamdani won by shaking up NYC politics
New information:
- CBS News exit polls: Mamdani won 70% of voters under age 45 and 66% of first‑time mayoral voters.
- Turnout topped 2 million, the highest for a NYC mayoral race since 1993.
- NYC Board of Elections early-vote data: of ~735,000 early check-ins, 41% were under 45.
- Neighborhood-level analysis indicates Mamdani carried middle‑income voters and renters, while higher‑income homeowners backed Andrew Cuomo.
- Mamdani’s social media reach: 1.7 million TikTok followers vs. Curtis Sliwa’s ~200,000 and Andrew Cuomo’s ~15,000.
- Quote/context from Stony Brook political scientist Drew Engelhardt on Mamdani as a 'credible messenger' amid Democratic Party fatigue.
Mamdani taps party insiders to steer transition despite vowing to ‘turn the page’ on old-guard NYC Dems
New information:
- Mamdani named an all‑female transition leadership team: co‑chairs Maria Torres‑Springer, Lina Khan, Melanie Hartzog and Grace Bonilla.
- Elana Leopold was appointed executive director of the transition team.
- Appointments include veterans of prior NYC administrations (Bloomberg, de Blasio, Adams) and a current federal official (FTC Chair Lina Khan).
- Mamdani framed his victory as “turning the page” even as he tapped establishment‑linked figures to lead the transition.
Mamdani Taps Antitrust Crusader Lina Khan to Help Lead Transition
New information:
- Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani named former FTC chair Lina Khan as a co-chair of his transition team.
- The role gives Khan influence over City Hall hiring and implementation of Mamdani’s affordability agenda.
- Announcement was made Wednesday in New York City.
Republicans push to make Mamdani the new face of the Democratic Party
New information:
- The NRCC immediately launched digital ads tying Zohran Mamdani to House Democrats facing tough re-elections in 2026.
- RNC Chair Joe Gruters issued a statement framing Mamdani as extreme and sought to make him the face of the Democratic Party.
- NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella said 'the Democrat Party has surrendered to radical socialist Zohran Mamdani,' previewing the GOP’s 2026 message.
- The ad narration highlights claims that Mamdani supports defunding police and abolishing ICE and pairs Mamdani’s image with House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Mamdani tells Trump that New York is ready to fight after president’s threats fail to thwart voters
New information:
- Mamdani used his victory speech to directly address President Trump with combative remarks, including: 'Turn the volume up' and 'To get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us.'
- Trump posted '...AND SO IT BEGINS!' on social media as Mamdani spoke, signaling he was watching and responding in real time.
- AP reiterates Trump’s threats to slash federal funding and 'take over' the city if Mamdani won, framing likely federal–city clashes.
- Contextual detail: AP reports the Trump administration dropped a federal corruption case against incumbent Mayor Eric Adams to facilitate cooperation on the president’s immigration agenda (new contextual claim within this piece).
- Opposition reaction: NRCC statement labeling Mamdani a 'radical socialist' and tying his win to broader 2026 campaign messaging.
Fox News Voter Poll: Change candidate Mamdani defeats legacy political figures
New information:
- Fox News Voter Poll (n>4,700 NYC registered voters) shows about three-quarters of voters under age 30 backed Mamdani; seniors broke for Cuomo by double digits.
- Mamdani led across racial groups, performing best among Black and Asian voters; Hispanic voters backed Mamdani by single digits; Cuomo narrowly lost White voters but benefited from stronger White male support.
- Education split: college‑educated voters favored Mamdani, while non‑college voters went for Cuomo.
- Partisanship: roughly two‑thirds of Democrats supported Mamdani; about 3 in 10 Democrats voted for Cuomo.
- After Trump’s last‑minute endorsement of Cuomo, about 7 in 10 Republicans voted for Cuomo; GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa drew about a quarter of Republicans.
- Independents: the largest share supported Cuomo, with a smaller share for Mamdani.
- Ideology: around a quarter of NYC voters identify as democratic socialists (nearly 4 in 10 among Democrats) and they strongly backed Mamdani.
- Among Republicans, about half identified as MAGA; roughly two‑thirds of that subgroup favored Cuomo over Sliwa.
- Religious vote: Jewish voters backed Cuomo by nearly 2‑to‑1 overall, with a generational split (about half of Jewish voters under 45 for Mamdani; ~7 in 10 over 45 for Cuomo). Mamdani won majorities among Muslims, non‑religious voters, and Protestants; Catholics and other Christians favored Cuomo.
- Issue salience: Most voters said Israel policy was at least a minor factor; those rating it a major factor were evenly split, while those saying it was a minor factor leaned Mamdani. About half of Jewish voters called Israel a major factor and overwhelmingly backed Cuomo.
- Hypothetical head‑to‑head: Mamdani led Cuomo by a smaller margin than in the multi‑candidate race.
Here's what CBS News exit polls told us about the 2025 elections
New information:
- Exit polls: Cost of living was the top issue; 7 in 10 NYC voters said housing is a major problem.
- Mamdani won renters (over half the electorate) and built a coalition led by under‑30 voters, first‑time mayoral voters, and recent movers (within 10 years).
- Late deciders broke heavily for Andrew Cuomo, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Mamdani’s earlier support.
- Curtis Sliwa finished a distant third and did not even win self‑identified Republicans; in a hypothetical two‑way Cuomo–Mamdani, Mamdani still wins.
- Cuomo led among Jewish voters, most of whom rated a candidate’s position on Israel as important.
How each NYC neighborhood voted in the mayoral race
New information:
- Neighborhood and borough-level results: Mamdani won every borough except Staten Island, which went for Andrew Cuomo.
- Manhattan specifics: Mamdani carried most of Manhattan except the Upper East Side, Midtown East, Murray Hill, Tribeca and Battery Park City.
- Queens specifics: Mamdani won Astoria, Long Island City and Sunnyside; Cuomo won Bayside, Flushing and Douglaston.
- Brooklyn specifics: Cuomo performed better in south Brooklyn (Borough Park, Coney Island, Sheepshead Bay) while Mamdani easily won Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Bed‑Stuy.
- Staten Island specifics: Cuomo outperformed across most of the island except much of the North Shore.
- Turnout context: more than 2 million ballots cast — first time since 1969 (affirmed here alongside a detailed precinct map).
- CBS exit poll data point: about three in four voters said housing costs are a major problem.
Democrat Zohran Mamdani wins New York City mayor’s race
New information:
- Mamdani would also be the first NYC mayor of South Asian heritage and the first born in Africa (born in Uganda); he became a U.S. citizen in 2018.
- Identified as a democratic socialist; national Republicans, including President Trump, cast him as emblematic of a 'radical' Democratic Party.
- Turnout described as the biggest in more than 50 years, with over 2 million ballots cast per the NYC Board of Elections.
- Key agenda specifics: free child care, free city bus service, city‑run grocery stores, and creating a Department of Community Safety to send mental‑health workers to certain calls instead of police.
- Mamdani apologized for past 'defund' rhetoric and says he will ask the current NYPD commissioner to stay.
- Funding headwinds noted: Gov. Kathy Hochul opposes his proposed taxes on wealthy residents to finance programs.
- Article reiterates Trump’s threats to 'take over' the city and to arrest/deport Mamdani if he won.
Here's what Mamdani's win could mean for Democrats nationwide
New information:
- Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayoral race on Nov. 4, 2025.
- DSA co‑chair Ashik Siddique said the win shows 'democratic socialist ideas are very popular.'
- Moderate Democrats (e.g., Third Way’s Matt Bennett) argued the win will not define the party nationally.
- Hakeem Jeffries said he does not view Mamdani as the future of the party and is not concerned about GOP attacks tying Democrats to him.
- CBS News poll: 22% of Democrats say the party should move toward socialist positions; 60% favor a mix of socialist and capitalist ideas.
- Brookings study recap: 'Mainstream' Democrats outperformed progressives in 2024 primaries; few democratic socialist candidates won.
- Notable non‑endorsements: Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand did not endorse Mamdani; Barack Obama called but did not publicly endorse.
- NRCC already linking Mamdani to vulnerable Democrats in New York and party leaders.
Mamdani wins NYC mayoral election as affordability focus energizes voters
New information:
- CBS News projects Mamdani the winner over Republican Curtis Sliwa and independent Andrew Cuomo.
- Historic first: Mamdani will be NYC’s first Muslim mayor; at 34, among the youngest (not the youngest).
- Policy specifics: rent freeze for rent‑stabilized units; free bus service; city‑run grocery stores in each borough; target of 200,000 affordable housing units; to be funded via 2% tax increases on corporations and top earners (requiring state action).
- Political endorsements: backed by Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez; ultimately endorsed by Hakeem Jeffries and Gov. Kathy Hochul.
- Israel/Gaza stance: condemned Oct. 7 attacks; called Gaza war a genocide; supports Israel’s right to exist but not explicitly as a Jewish state; defended himself against claims of supporting 'global jihad.'
- Policing stance: previously called to disband NYPD’s SRG but later limited that to protest response; says he is not running to defund the police.
- Background: Ugandan‑born, moved to NYC at 7, Bronx Science and Bowdoin alum, U.S. citizen since 2018; married to Rama Duawaji; represents Astoria-area Assembly district since 2021.
- Campaign context: notes Trump’s eve‑of‑election endorsement of Cuomo and threat to withhold federal funds if Mamdani won.
Mamdani wins New York City mayoral race, in a historic victory for progressives
New information:
- Associated Press called the race for Mamdani less than an hour after polls closed on Nov. 4, 2025.
- Mamdani, 34, will be the youngest NYC mayor in more than a century.
- NYC saw more than 2 million votes cast — the first time since 1969, per the NYC Board of Elections.
- Mamdani won the June Democratic primary by 12 percentage points.
- Article reiterates opponents: Independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa; frames national context including Trump criticism.
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