The New York City mayoral race has taken an increasingly tense turn, as the New York Times faces accusations of biased reporting following its coverage of Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani. The newspaper’s framing of criticism against Mamdani has drawn sharp rebuke from Republican Representative Elise Stefanik, who accused the outlet of defending the candidate after his controversial comments about Hamas.
The controversy began when Times City Hall Bureau Chief Emma G. Fitzsimmons published an article titled “Mamdani Faces Attacks After Comments About Hamas.” In a post on X, Fitzsimmons further described the criticism directed at Mamdani as “Islamophobic,” sharing her article under the headline: “Mamdani Faces Islamophobic Attacks After Comments About Hamas.” The phrasing immediately triggered backlash, particularly from Stefanik, who accused both the newspaper and the journalist of shielding Mamdani from scrutiny.
In her response, Stefanik labeled Mamdani a “Jihadist Communist,” claiming that the Times’ coverage was downplaying his past remarks and political positions. The paper’s article opened by noting that Mamdani had faced “vitriolic attacks” suggesting he sympathized with terrorists after offering an indirect answer to a question about Hamas’ role in Gaza. Fitzsimmons cited Stefanik’s characterization of Mamdani as a “jihadist,” as well as criticism from other political figures, including Democratic Representative Laura Gillen and a former aide to former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
The Times piece highlighted that Mamdani has previously denounced Hamas, but its tone — presenting him as a victim of political hostility — appeared to many conservatives as sympathetic. Stefanik, however, rejected that framing and chose to make her full response public on social media, tagging both the Times and Fitzsimmons directly.
In her statement, Stefanik wrote: “Why yes, Emma, I do want to respond. Please print IN FULL.” She continued, “I call Zohran Mamdani a jihadist because he is. Zohran Mamdani is a raging antisemite. Mamdani is the definition of a jihadist as he supports Hamas terrorists, which he did as recently as yesterday when he refused to call for Hamas terrorists to put down their arms — the same Hamas terrorist group that slaughtered civilians, including New Yorkers, on October 7, 2023.”
Stefanik went on to accuse New York Governor Kathy Hochul of backing Mamdani, calling him “Kathy Hochul’s endorsed jihadist Communist” and claiming Democratic leaders like Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Hakeem Jeffries had withheld their endorsements because of his record.
The Times has not publicly responded to Stefanik’s criticism, but the episode has amplified existing tensions between national media outlets and Republican officials. The debate over Mamdani’s comments — and the Times’ portrayal of his critics — underscores how deeply polarized New York’s mayoral race has become, reflecting broader national divides over media bias, religious identity, and political extremism.