With just six weeks until Election Day, far-left state lawmaker Zohran Mamdani is dominating the crowded New York City mayoral race.
According to a new poll, Mamdani’s lead underscores the Democrat stronghold’s tilt toward radical socialism.
The Suffolk University CityView poll, conducted Sept. 16–18, shows Mamdani with 45% support among likely voters.
Mamdani is a full 20 points ahead of former Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Cuomo is mounting an independent run after losing the Democratic Party’s primary to Mamdani.
The ex-governor registers just 25%.
Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, co-founder of the Guardian Angels, trails with 9%.
Meanwhile, embattled incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, also running as an independent after skipping the Democrat primary, sits at just 8%.
Three other candidates combine for 1%, with 9% undecided.
Cuomo Falters As Mamdani Surges
Mamdani, 33, stunned the political establishment in June when he defeated Cuomo and nine other candidates to win the Democrat nomination.
The Ugandan-born socialist, who represents Queens in the state legislature, is now poised to become the first Muslim, the first millennial, and the first open socialist to lead the nation’s largest city.
The poll confirms earlier surveys showing Mamdani consistently leading Cuomo by 15 to 22 points.
Suffolk noted that ballot placement may boost Mamdani further: he is listed twice, both as the Democratic nominee and the Working Families Party candidate.
Cuomo, by contrast, appears only once, eighth out of nine slots.
Trump Weighs In
President Donald Trump, a native New Yorker, has repeatedly warned that Mamdani’s platform amounts to “communism” and has urged candidates to consolidate against him.
Reports suggest the Trump administration even floated potential roles for Sliwa and Adams if they exited the race, but both men have vowed to stay in.
AOC-Backed Agenda
Mamdani has campaigned on a slate of progressive promises, including tuition-free CUNY, fare-free buses, rent freezes on municipal housing, government-run grocery stores, communist-style shared homes, and free child care for children under five.
He has drawn endorsements from high-profile socialists Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and made aggressive use of TikTok to reach younger, low-propensity voters.
His critics have slammed him for anti-police rhetoric, proposals to strip responsibilities from the NYPD, and controversial remarks about Israel.
Yet the Suffolk poll suggests voters are brushing off those concerns: 59% disagreed that Mamdani is antisemitic, and 52% disagreed with claims that his policies would trigger a tax exodus.
Cuomo, meanwhile, continues to battle lingering baggage from his 2021 resignation over sexual misconduct allegations.
According to the poll, 53% of voters rejected the idea that Cuomo, if elected, would continue the “unwanted touching and groping” that forced him from office.
Top Issues: Affordability, Crime
The survey highlights affordability (21%) as the number one issue for New Yorkers, followed closely by crime (20%), the economy (14%), and housing (9%).
Mamdani has leaned heavily into affordability messaging, which appears to be resonating with voters.
The results paint a daunting picture for Cuomo and Republicans alike in deep-blue New York City: Mamdani is not only the frontrunner but appears to be weathering criticism that might sink other candidates.
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