Why many Asian American Trump voters chose Zohran Mamdani in NYC's primary
Zohran Mamdani’s upset victory in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary was partly fueled by Asian American voters in neighborhoods that previously went for Donald Trump in 2020, according to a Gothamist analysis.
Following Mamdani’s win, Gothamist reported that the assemblymember from Queens won 30% of the election districts that Trump won in the 2024 presidential election. However, a closer analysis of census data reveals that many of those districts overlap with majority Asian American neighborhoods. Interviews in two of those neighborhoods – Flushing, Queens and Bensonhurst, Brooklyn – revealed that many residents voted for both candidates in the hopes they would address the city’s affordability crisis.
“I liked his policies, mainly his support for education and affordable housing,” said Shirley Wong, 70, of Bensonhurst, referring to Mamdani. “He seems to listen to us.”
But less than a year ago, Wong cast her ballot for Trump. She cited the influx of migrants in her neighborhood, as well as the cost of living under President Joe Biden. But now, Wong said she regretted voting for Trump, citing the Big Beautiful Bill’s projected cuts to Medicaid.
https://gothamist.com/news/why-many-asian-american-trump-voters-chose-zohran-mamdani-in-nycs-primary