“Why stereotype a Black man as nothing more than a pothead?"
US Indian politician Jenifer Rajkumar faced backlash after posting a meme that portrayed her opponent Jumaane Williams as a lazy pothead.
Lawyer Rajkumar, who became the first South Asian woman to be elected to the New York State Assembly, shared the cartoon on April 23.
It depicted her as a high-heeled, high-energy politician while Williams, who is Black, lay passed out in bed.
Above Williams was a quote: “Maaaaan, last batch edibles took me somewhere else.”
A cartoon schedule beside him listed only a nap.
Meanwhile, Rajkumar was shown catching trains and attending events from 7 am until late at night.
Political operatives reacted with outrage, with many accusing Jenifer Rajkumar of racism.
One Democratic consultant wrote: “This feels desperate and racist.
“Why stereotype a Black man as nothing more than a pothead?
“Instead, New Yorkers would like to hear more about her record outside of press conferences and media events with the Mayor.”
Another said: “I don’t know what to say about the village idiot who says nonsensical or racist things.
“People and her colleagues will continue to do the same as we have been: ignore her.”
Rajkumar’s campaign spokesperson Arvind Sooknanan defended the post, saying the criticism was unfair:
“The image used Jumaane’s own tweet and reflects what New Yorkers already know: His office is remote, unresponsive, and missing in action with no major accomplishments in 6 years.”
The tweet cited was real but originally light-hearted. It came from a 2021 exchange with then-Minority Council Leader Joe Borelli, joking about aliens and time travel.
BREAKING: Our campaign woke up Jumaane Williams. He held a press conference at 11:55AM—his earliest appearance in recent memory. When we run, even the Public Absentee sets an alarm.#MadamAdvocate #RedPhoneEffect #NoDaysOff https://t.co/JjPgBVVdjC pic.twitter.com/T5hAW3I3ZB
— Jenifer Rajkumar (@JeniferRajkumar) April 24, 2025
Rajkumar, often seen alongside Mayor Eric Adams at public events, earned the nickname ‘Lady in Red’ for her frequent appearances in red outfits.
The controversial meme followed Adams’ own remarks criticising Williams.
Adams said: “Think about this for a moment, the public advocate wakes up at noon.
“He takes a nap until 2. He goes looking around the fort to make sure the guards are awake. And then he goes back and takes another nap.
“Then he looks at the press and says, ‘My job for over $200,000 is to find a way to criticise Eric or something’.”
Despite the backlash, Rajkumar’s campaign doubled down, reposting the meme as a reply to one of Williams’ social media posts.
The reaction among political insiders remained harsh.
One city politician said: “It’s f****d up.”
Meanwhile, polling numbers painted a difficult picture for the US Indian politician’s campaign. A Honan Strategy Group survey found she was polling at just 6% among likely Democratic voters.
Williams, who has barely campaigned, was leading comfortably with 51%. About a third of voters remained undecided.
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