But during a week when much of the Democratic establishment seemed to be slowly getting on board with Mr. Mamdani’s candidacy, Mr. Schumer, people familiar with his thinking on the matter said, still has not made up his mind.Polls have Mamdani leading with Jewish voters.
His hesitance reflects the complicated calculus of a leader facing unique political challenges of his own, including an approval rating at a 20-year low, and who is single-mindedly focused on leading his party back to the Senate majority next year — a task that will require victories in competitive states with little appetite for a democratic socialist who is deeply critical of Israel. It also springs from Mr. Schumer’s sense of responsibility to Jewish voters, and the influence of donors and Democrats in New York City, particularly in the real estate industry, many of whom are vocal with their concerns about a Mamdani mayoralty.
NYT continues:
I dunno, man, suggesting that "traditional Jewish donors" have disproportionate influence over the Senate minority leader is, um, problematic, for various reasons.
Leaving aside the "Jewish" aspect, I think it's a problem that the Senate minority leader does unpopular things because the people who write the big checks have his phone number. That's a pretty big story!
Though, really, donor influence on any issue mostly isn't about money. Chuck Schumer doesn't actually worry about raising money, not in the way people imagine, anyway. It is more that there is a little private social club with an entrance fee, and the people in that social club are people Chuck Schumer likes and respects, people he talks to. You are not in that club and Mamdani will never be in that club.
He is also aware that traditional Jewish donors were furious about Ms. Hochul’s endorsement of Mr. Mamdani."Traditional Jewish donors."
I dunno, man, suggesting that "traditional Jewish donors" have disproportionate influence over the Senate minority leader is, um, problematic, for various reasons.
Leaving aside the "Jewish" aspect, I think it's a problem that the Senate minority leader does unpopular things because the people who write the big checks have his phone number. That's a pretty big story!
Though, really, donor influence on any issue mostly isn't about money. Chuck Schumer doesn't actually worry about raising money, not in the way people imagine, anyway. It is more that there is a little private social club with an entrance fee, and the people in that social club are people Chuck Schumer likes and respects, people he talks to. You are not in that club and Mamdani will never be in that club.