Mamdani Surges Ahead in NYC Democratic Mayoral Race Against Cuomo

Zohran Kwame Mamdani, New York State Assembly member, is leading over former Governor Andrew Cuomo in a hypothetical ranked-choice Democratic primary for NYC mayor, a new poll suggests. While Mamdani gains support in later rounds, the race remains tight as both candidates vie for critical voter demographics.

Zohran Kwame Mamdani, a member of the New York State Assembly and a democratic socialist, is currently leading former Governor Andrew Cuomo in a hypothetical ranked-choice Democratic primary for New York City mayor, according to a recently released poll. Born in Uganda, Mamdani is of South Asian descent and is noted for being the first South Asian man to serve in the New York State Assembly as well as the first Ugandan, and only the third Muslim ever to be part of the body.

The poll, conducted by Emerson College Polling in partnership with Pix 11 and The Hill, reveals Cuomo's lead shrinking to a mere 3 percentage points in the initial round, with 35% of likely Democratic voters supporting him compared to 32% for Mamdani. Other candidates, like city Comptroller Brad Lander and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, lag behind with less significant percentages.

With no candidate surpassing the necessary 50% threshold to win outright, the ranked-choice voting system may play a decisive role. Mamdani outperformed Cuomo in the simulation's eighth round with 51.8% of the vote to Cuomo's 48.2%. The poll also reveals that while Mamdani has substantial support among younger, white, and college-educated voters, Cuomo leads among older demographics and voters of color.

(With inputs from agencies.)