Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign just hit a speed bump that smells like woke privilege run amok. The 33-year-old democratic socialist, born in Uganda and now the frontrunner for New York City mayor, checked both “Asian” and “Black or African American” on his 2009 Columbia University application, which was rejected, as the New York Post reports. This revelation, courtesy of a hacker’s data breach, has conservatives crying foul over identity politics.
Last week’s cyberattack exposed sensitive data from over 2.5 million Columbia students, applicants, and employees, including Mamdani’s application. The hacktivist, claiming to probe Columbia’s affirmative action practices, sent shockwaves through the university, which used race-based admissions in 2009 until the Supreme Court later struck it down. Mamdani, a Muslim immigrant who became a U.S. citizen in 2018, now faces scrutiny over his self-identified racial categories.
Mamdani launched his mayoral bid in 2024 as a little-known Queens assemblyman, promising free buses, free child care, and steep taxes on the wealthy. He clinched the Democratic Party's nomination last week, defeating former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, but now competes against incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, running as an Independent, alongside Cuomo, Curtis Silwa, and Jim Walden in the general election. A new American Pulse survey shows Mamdani leading with 35%, though his lead may wobble as voters digest this controversy.
“Most college applications don’t have a box for Indian Ugandans, so I checked multiple boxes,” Mamdani said, defending his Columbia application. Nice try, but conservatives aren’t buying it -- checking both Asian and African Americans smells like gaming the system for affirmative action perks. Critics argue this move cheapens the lived struggles of those communities.
“It’s disgraceful to exploit this country’s legacy of slavery,” said Matthew Schweber of Columbia’s Jewish Alumni Association. Schweber’s point lands hard: Mamdani, son of a Columbia professor and an Oscar-nominated filmmaker, hardly fits the profile of the oppressed he claims to champion. Privilege, not struggle, seems to be his real inheritance.
Mamdani’s 2009 application rejection didn’t stop him from building a political career, but the timing of this leak stings. “He was trying to get into a school by lying about his racial background,” said Gerard Kassar, state Conservative Party chairman. Kassar’s blunt assessment cuts through the progressive fog: identity shouldn’t be a buffet you pick from for personal gain.
“Being from Uganda doesn’t make you black,” Kassar added, doubling down on his critique. His logic is simple—race isn’t a feeling or a passport stamp; it’s a specific reality Mamdani allegedly bent for advantage. This accusation fuels conservative distrust of progressive identity politics.
“The African American identity is not a checkbox of convenience,” Mayor Eric Adams declared. Adams, trailing Mamdani in the polls, nails the issue: co-opting a community’s history for a college application reeks of opportunism. Voters may wonder what else Mamdani has been flexible with.
“It’s now clear that Zohran Mamdani misrepresented his racial identity,” said Todd Shapiro, Adams’ campaign spokesperson. Shapiro’s demand for answers echoes a broader conservative call for transparency from a candidate who’s dodged accountability before. Mamdani’s refusal to condemn “globalize the intifada” already raised eyebrows -- now this.
“Mamdani has an early lead and a clear message,” said Dustin Olson, American Pulse pollster. But Olson’s warning that “deeper scrutiny may erode enthusiasm” feels prophetic as this Columbia saga unfolds. Voters don’t like being played, especially by a candidate preaching authenticity.
Mamdani’s platform -- free services and soak-the-rich taxes -- thrives on progressive idealism, but this scandal could sour even his base. “It’s possible some voters already have buyer’s remorse,” Olson noted, pointing to Mamdani’s refusal to denounce controversial slogans. That’s a polite way of saying his woke credentials might be crumbling.
President Donald Trump weighed in, calling for Mamdani’s arrest and deportation if he meddles with ICE as mayor. It’s a classic Trump zinger, but it underscores the stakes: Mamdani’s progressive posturing clashes with conservative demands for law and order. New Yorkers will decide if they trust him.
“Even though these boxes are constraining, I wanted my application to reflect who I was,” Mamdani claimed. Sorry, but that sounds like a rehearsed line from the woke playbook -- vague, self-serving, and conveniently unprovable. His elite upbringing makes the excuse ring hollow.
Columbia’s admissions complied with the Supreme Court’s ruling, a university official insisted on July 2, 2025. Yet the 2009 race-based system Mamdani allegedly tried to exploit exposes the flaws of affirmative action, a policy conservatives have long argued distorts merit and fairness. This leak proves their point.
Mamdani’s lead in the polls may not survive this firestorm. With his privileged background and questionable identity claims now in the spotlight, New Yorkers face a choice: a candidate rooted in principle or one surfing the waves of progressive expediency. The general election just got a lot spicier.
