New York City’s Mayoral Race Tightens Ahead of Election Day
With just under three weeks until Election Day, Zoran Mamdani is leading the race for mayor in New York City, though former Governor Andrew Cuomo is narrowing that gap, according to recent polls.
This shift highlights how Cuomo’s independent bid is attracting support from disillusioned Democrats, particularly after the withdrawal of Mayor Eric Adams.
Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic Socialist state representative from Queens, made headlines in June when he won the Democratic nomination by defeating Cuomo and several other candidates decisively. A recent Quinnipiac University poll indicates he currently holds 46% of the likely voter support.
Cuomo, who stepped down as governor in 2021 amid scandals, is running as an independent after losing the primary. He has garnered 33% support in polling conducted from October 3 to 7. In a city that predominantly leans Democratic, Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate and co-founder of the Guardian Angels, seems to be trailing with a 15% lead.
This Quinnipiac poll is notable as it’s the only major one conducted since Adams exited the race to run as an independent. The last poll had Mamdani leading Cuomo by a significant 22-point margin: 45% to 23%, while Sliwa stood at 15% and Adams at 12%.
Mary Snow, assistant director of Quinnipiac University Poll, commented, “The dynamics of the race have evolved. Andrew Cuomo has managed to attract many of Adams’ supporters, tightening the gap, yet Mamdani holds onto a double-digit lead.”
Cuomo’s campaign took note of these shifts, with his long-time press secretary expressing that the poll reflects a significant change in the race dynamics, suggesting Mamdani’s support is stagnating.
Enthusiasm among Mamdani’s supporters is quite high, with about 90% feeling very or somewhat enthusiastic, while Sliwa’s supporters are at 85%, and Cuomo’s at 69%.
Before Adams stepped out, a Fox News poll showed Mamdani would have received 45% of the vote against Cuomo’s 31% among registered voters, with Sliwa trailing at 13%.
In the latest voter preferences, Mamdani and Cuomo are closely matched, with Mamdani at 48% and Cuomo at 32%, while Sliwa remains at 13%.
If elected, Mamdani would become the first Muslim and millennial mayor in New York City’s history. His rise can be attributed to a strong campaign that emphasized affordability in a city with a notoriously high cost of living, drawing support from grassroots organizations and well-known progressives, including Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders.
Mamdani effectively utilized platforms like TikTok to reach less engaged voters and proposed several ambitious policies, such as eliminating fares on the city’s extensive bus system, making CUNY tuition-free, freezing housing rents, offering free childcare for children up to age five, and creating government-operated grocery stores.
However, he has faced significant criticism from opponents not only for his progressive proposals but also for his past statements on Israel, comments about the New York City Police Department, and ideas to reallocate some responsibilities from the NYPD towards social services and community-based initiatives.
