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A large van covered in rotating digital posters circled Midtown Manhattan last week after democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani won a dramatic New York City mayoral election.
New Hampshire Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s re-election campaign sent a van covered with ads reading: “NYC business owners: Mamdani got you down? Come on up to New Hampshire for no Communism, less red tape, and less taxes,” and various phrases encouraging New Yorkers to head north.
“New Hampshire has a lot to offer anyone who is looking to leave NYC ahead of the Mamdani regime,” Ayotte told Fox News Digital. “We are the safest state in the nation, the best for economic opportunity, and we have some of the lowest taxes anywhere. Whether you own a business or just want to keep more of your hard-earned money — come on up to the Granite State. We’d love to have you!”
Mamdani, who has pledged to raise taxes in order to fund his vision of free buses and free child care, was elected mayor of New York City Tuesday.
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“Come to New Hampshire,” one slide on the side of the truck read. “We’ll help your business make the switch, and you can keep more of your hard-earned money!”
The mayor-elect has not shied away from his commitment to implementing socialist policies in the Big Apple. His tax hike proposals have reportedly discouraged individuals from moving to the city and are pushing some New Yorkers to flee the five boroughs altogether.
Fox News Digital’s Kristen Altus spoke with developer Isaac Toledano, the CEO of Miami-based BH Group, who said his company has closed more than $100 million in signed contracts, which is twice as much as the previous year, from New York buyers in just the past few months.
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“During COVID the first exodus was less about taxes, and more about access to schools and a more ‘normal’ way of life. Don’t get me wrong, taxes were a motivation, but not the sole motivation,” Mitch Roschelle, real estate expert and managing director at Madison Ventures, told Fox News Digital.
“Fast forward to the Mamdami era. The next exodus from NYC will be led by residents who are already paying their fair share and do not want to fund the bevy of social welfare programs that lay ahead,” Roschelle added.
According to a report from the Office of the New York State Comptroller, the population of NYC fell 5.3% from April 2020 to July 2022. For comparison, the number of New Yorkers that left the city during that time is more than the entire population of Long Beach, California.
“The exodus may not be immediate, and I suspect it will be tied to the school year for families,” Roschelle continued. “The spring will be the big test of the prevailing group—think about migration.”
“That said, any change in public safety, or a major tax increase on the ‘rich’ will dramatically accelerate exits from NYC,” Roschelle added.
Mamdani will be officially sworn into office on Jan. 1, 2026.
Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on X @MizellPreston.
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