Zoran Mamdani Leads in New York Mayoral Race

New York mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani, representing the Democrats, holds a striking 25-point lead over former Governor Andrew Cuomo, as the election approaches next week. Recent polling indicates that Mamdani garners 50% of the support, while Cuomo stands at 25% and Republican Curtis Sliwa at 21%. About 4% of respondents remain undecided.

When factoring in undecided voters, Mamdani’s approval climbs to 51%, with Cuomo staying at 26% and Sliwa holding steady at 21%. In a previous Emerson College Poll from September, Mamdani had a 15-point lead over Cuomo, which has now grown significantly.

Interestingly, Sliwa’s support has noticeably increased since September, rising from 10% when Eric Adams was still in the race. Conversely, Cuomo’s approval rating has dipped from 28% to 26% during this timeframe.

According to Spencer Kimball, the executive director of the Emerson College Poll, Mamdani appears to be forming a strong coalition, especially among key demographics. Notably, he has boosted his support among black voters from 50% to an impressive 71% in just a month, while Cuomo has seen a decline of 10 points in the same group since September.

Mamdani also enjoys robust backing from younger voters, with 69% of those under 50 supporting him, in contrast to 37% support among those over 50. For the older demographic, 31% favor Cuomo and 28% back Sliwa.

This polling data emphasizes Mamdani’s lead in the mayoral race, particularly after he triumphed over Cuomo in the Democratic primary in June. Many analysts anticipate that Mamdani will emerge victorious in the election on Tuesday, even amid late-stage campaign efforts from Cuomo, moderate Democrats, and some Republicans working to rally support for him.

The Emerson College Poll surveyed 640 individuals, who have either already voted or are likely to do so, from October 25 to October 27. The margin of error stands at plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.