Texas Governor Greg Abbott has threatened to impose a tariff on anyone relocating to his state from New York City after the city’s mayoral election.
“After the polls close tomorrow night, I will impose a 100% tariff on anyone moving to Texas from NYC,” Abbott posted on X on Monday night, ahead of polls closing on Tuesday to determine New York City’s next mayor in one of the most closely watched elections.
After the polls close tomorrow night, I will impose a 100% tariff on anyone moving to Texas from NYC.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) November 3, 2025
Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, 34, has been the frontrunner since winning the Democratic primary in June. He faces former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, 67, who is running as an Independent, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, 71.
As mayor, Mamdani has promised to make the city more affordable, pledging to freeze rent for all stabilized tenants, build more affordable housing, create a network of city-owned grocery stores, and expand access to free bus service.
The 34-year-old plans to finance his initiatives by raising the corporate tax rate to 11.5 percent and taxing the wealthiest New Yorkers, those who earn over $1 million a year, at a flat rate of 2 percent.
After Mamdani’s win in the June Democratic primary, realtors reported rising demand for luxury homes in the state of Florida and the New York suburbs from wealthy New Yorkers looking to avoid the higher taxes proposed under the potential new mayor.
Although no such reports have emerged from Texas, Abbott’s claims echo those of President Donald Trump, whose use of tariffs received widespread attention during his second term.
Trump has also threatened New York City if Mamdani wins, calling him a “communist,” which the mayoral candidate denied, and writing on Truth Social that it is “highly unlikely” he will direct federal funds to the city if Mamdani becomes mayor.
However, both threats are prohibited by the U.S. Constitution, which bars state governors from imposing tariffs on other states and specifies that Congress, not the president, decides how federal funds are allocated. Nonetheless, tariffs are taxes on goods, not people.
Mamdani’s stance on billionaires—including his appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press in June, where he said, “I don’t think that we should have billionaires”—has prompted pushback from the city’s ultra-wealthy, who are working to prevent him from becoming mayor.
According to Fortune, about 26 billionaires from across the U.S. have spent roughly $22 million backing opposition campaigns against Mamdani.
Yet despite these campaigns, polls on the final day of the election show Mamdani leading in the race for New York City mayor, with the first official results expected shortly after polls close at 9 p.m. on Tuesday.
If elected, Mamdani would become the city’s first Muslim mayor.
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