Cuomo Trails in Mayoral Race but Gains Ground
Former New York governor Andrew Cuomo is making headway in the New York mayoral race, though Democratic Socialist Zoran Mamdani is still ahead, per a Quinnipiac University poll released on Thursday.
Mamdani, who secured the Democratic primary in June, commands 46% of likely voter support, while Cuomo follows with 33%, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa holds 15%. This poll comes on the heels of current New York City Mayor Eric Adams announcing on September 28 that he is likely pulling out of the race for re-election, despite describing his campaign as “successful.”
In a previous Quinnipiac poll from September 10, Mamdani had 45% backing, compared to Cuomo’s 23%, while Sliwa had 15% and just 12% for Adams.
Mary Snow, assistant director of polling at Quinnipiac, commented on the shift: “Even though the numbers have adjusted, the nature of the race remains the same. Cuomo has won over many of Adams’ former supporters and reduced Mamdani’s lead, yet Mamdani still retains a solid lead by double digits.”
Mamdani’s campaign hasn’t responded to inquiries from the media.
Cuomo’s spokesperson, Rich Azzopardi, responded to the latest poll, saying, “New Yorkers across all boroughs see a shift in this race. Andrew Cuomo has gained 10 points since September, while Mamdani remains static and Sliwa fades.” Azzopardi emphasized that the contest is clearly between Cuomo and Mamdani, suggesting that as voters learn more about Cuomo’s past achievements—like rebuilding LaGuardia and enhancing the MTA—they will support his leadership.
Sliwa, however, expressed skepticism towards the polls, asserting, “The only votes that count are those on Election Day.” He added, “Cuomo might be thinking ahead, but I have real solutions, and I believe we’ll take this city back on November 4th.”
Experts have indicated that the dynamics of the mayoral race might change following Adams’ decision to drop out, as he had been consistently trailing in polls against other candidates.
The poll surveyed 1,015 likely voters in New York City from October 3 to October 7 and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.
