NH governor tells fleeing NYC businesses to head north after Mamdani win

A large van covered in rotating digital posters toured Midtown Manhattan last week after democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani won a dramatic election for New York City mayor.

New Hampshire Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s re-election campaign sent out a van covered in ads reading: “New York Business Owners: Has Mamdani Depressed You?” Come to New Hampshire for no communism, less bureaucracy and fewer taxes,” and various phrases encouraging New Yorkers to head north.

“New Hampshire has a lot to offer anyone looking to leave New York before the Mamdani regime,” Ayotte told Fox News Digital. “We are the safest state in the country, the best for economic opportunity, and our taxes are among the lowest in the world. Whether you own a business or just want to keep more of your hard-earned money, come to the Granite State. We’d love to have you!”

Mamdani, who has pledged to raise taxes to fund his vision of free buses and free day care, was elected mayor of New York on Tuesday.

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New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte sent a van to New York to ask fleeing business owners to move to her state. (Kelly for New Hampshire)

“Come to New Hampshire,” a slide on the side of the truck said. “We’ll help your business transition and you can keep more of your hard-earned money!”

The mayor-elect has not hesitated to commit to implementing socialist policies in the Big Apple. His proposed tax increases would have discouraged people from moving to the city and caused some New Yorkers to flee the five boroughs.

Fox News Digital’s Kristen Altus spoke with developer Isaac Toledano, CEO of Miami-based BH Group, who said his company closed more than $100 million in signed deals, twice as many as the previous year, from New York buyers in the last few months alone.

The van, funded by Kelly Ayotte’s re-election campaign, toured Midtown Manhattan. (Kelly for New Hampshire)

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“During COVID, the early exodus was less about taxes and more about access to schools and a more ‘normal’ lifestyle. Make no mistake, taxes were a motivator, but not the only motivator,” Mitch Roschelle, real estate expert and managing director of Madison Ventures, told Fox News Digital.

“Fast forward to the Mamdami era. The next exodus from New York will be led by residents who already pay their fair share and don’t want to fund the multitude of welfare programs that await them,” Roschelle added.

After democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani won New York’s mayoral race, New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte’s campaign sent a van across Manhattan urging businesses to move north for “no communism, less bureaucracy and fewer taxes.” (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

According to a report from the New York State Comptroller’s Office, New York’s population fell 5.3% between April 2020 and July 2022. For comparison, the number of New Yorkers who left the city during this period is more than the total 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. “Spring will be the big test for the dominant group: think about migration.”

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“That said, any change in public safety or a significant increase in taxes on the ‘rich’ will significantly accelerate the exits from New York,” Roschelle added.

Mamdani will officially take the oath of office on January 1, 2026.

Preston Mizell is a writer for Fox News. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on X @MizellPreston.