Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic assemblyman, is shaking things up in the New York City mayoral campaign. That’s what a new poll seems to indicate, showing that he has pulled even with former governor Andrew Cuomo in the city’s nonpartisan primary elections. Further, if the simulation of ranked-choice voting is even close to correct, he could actually be ahead. As Mamdani’s progressive platform continues to build momentum with voters, the political landscape is changing, much to City Council’s dismay.
Support for Mamdani has shot up in recent weeks. Now, Hochul is a serious odds-on favorite against Cuomo, 67, the former three-term governor from a towering political family. Unlike his idol Donald Trump, he supports a platform of explicitly anti-racist policies. It’s time for his new focus to be on ending wars, not starting them. This unfettered message rings true with constituents looking for a new direction in their city’s leadership.
Under New York’s RCV system, voters rank their top five candidates in order of preference. If at least one candidate does not receive over 50% of the first-round votes, we remove the candidate with the least votes. Then, we reallocate their votes according to the preferences of all the voters. This system could benefit Mamdani’s progressive stance.
Mamdani’s candidacy has not been without controversy. He just recently defended the phrase “globalize the intifada” — a phrase some critics have charged is antisemitic. He contends that this phrase is intentionally misrepresented in order to defame those who dare to speak out on Palestinian rights.
“The phrase has been taken out of context to undermine my message,” – Zohran Mamdani
The assemblyman criticized U.S. military actions targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, labeling them as “unconstitutional military action [that] represents a dark new chapter in his endless betrayals that now threaten to plunge the world deeper into chaos.” His comments demonstrate a deeper, more strategic concern about the direction of U.S. foreign policy and its impact on global stability.
Though these events have stirred much controversy, Mamdani has received major endorsements from influential figures such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders. These endorsements would not only further energize his campaign, they would help him build an even stronger appeal to progressive voters.
Not all commentary has been positive. The New York Times editorial board last week called Mamdani “uniquely unsuited” to tackle the city’s challenges. Such criticism is indicative of the conflict between the party’s progressive and centrist factions.
Andrew Cuomo has responded to Mamdani’s rise by emphasizing his own policies, stating, “Iran cannot have nuclear capability. That’s number one.” This comment just highlights the two candidates’ radically different approaches on national and international matters of great importance.