New Yorkers vote in mayoral race, where socialist Mamdani is frontrunner despite Trump attack

LAST UPDATE | 12 hrs ago

NEW YORKERS ARE voting in the city’s mayoral election, in which Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani is forecast to win what would be a seismic victory at the end of a campaign that has seen him come under relentless and often racist or Islamophobic attacks from his political opponents. 

An outsider at the beginning of the race, Mamdani convincingly won the Democratic primary, defeating former New York governor Andrew Cuomo. 

Cuomo, however, subsequently rejoined the race as an independent. He and Mamdani are also competing against the Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. 

Mamdani was leading by seven points on 41% in the latest AtlasIntel poll ahead of voting today.

The 34-year-old was trailed by Cuomo on 34% and Sliwa on 24%, a margin that could sway the vote if enough of his backers shifted to the former governor.

By late afternoon local time, more people had already voted in this year’s race than in any US mayoral election since 2001.

The voting system features a first round of counting, after which if there is a candidate on more than 50% of the vote, they are declared the winner. Otherwise, the counting continues in rounds. 

Turnout by midday, with nine hours of voting remaining was 1.195 million, exceeding the total of 1.14 million votes cast in 2021, which saw the election of current Mayor Eric Adams who bowed out when his reelection campaign was hit by scandals and corruption allegations. He endorsed Cuomo.

Polls close at 9pm (2am Irish time).

Cuomo served as governor between 2011 and 2021 and has been accused of multiple incidents of sexual harassment, which he denies. Sliwa has no political experience and is the head of the Guardian Angels, a nonprofit crime prevention organisation in New York City. 

Advertisement

Mamdani’s stellar rise to the position of frontrunner, though, has been the story of the campaign, as has the tenor of the criticism levelled against him. His energetic campaigning style and focus on affordability have made him a hit with many New Yorkers. 

The state assembly member has become a bête noire for the Republican Party led by President Donald Trump, but he has also come under fire from members of his own party – Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer did not endorse him. 

Many of the rhetorical attacks against Mamdani – who was born in Uganda to Muslim and Hindu parents both originally from India – have sought to characterise him as an Islamic extremist and antisemite. 

Last week, Cuomo – who previously called Mamdani a “terrorist sympathiser” – said in an interview: “God forbid, another 9/11, can you imagine Mamdani in the seat?”

The latest comments in that vein came from Trump today, when he posted on his Truth Social platform, writing: “Any Jewish person that votes for Zohran Mamdani, a proven and self professed JEW HATER, is a stupid person!!!”

The Democratic candidate has denied being antisemitic and often reached out to New York’s Jewish community throughout the campaign. 

Mamdani is also a democratic socialist, which has led some to mischaracterise him as a communist, as Trump did yesterday as he threatened to cut off federal funding to the city if he wins.

“If Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the Election for Mayor of New York City, it is highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required, to my beloved first home, because of the fact that, as a Communist, this once great City has ZERO chance of success, or even survival!” Trump said in another post. 

Former president Barack Obama had a phone call with Mamdani this week, but did not endorse him. 

“I didn’t bring up endorsements,” Mamdani told MSNBC, “because frankly in these final days the only endorsement I’m looking for is from the people who call this city home”. 

With reporting from AFP

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
Learn More Support The Journal