Former Governor Andrew Cuomo continues to lead the New York City Democratic mayoral primary with a double-digit advantage, according to a Siena College poll. Despite his commanding position, the race has remained largely unchanged following Mayor Eric Adams’ decision to run as an independent, not impacting Cuomo’s lead. The race remains competitive, with Cuomo maintaining broad support, especially among Black and Hispanic voters.
CUOMO HOLDS COMMANDING LEAD IN NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL RACE
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo maintains a significant lead in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary, despite recent political turmoil. A Siena College survey, conducted with AARP New York, showed Cuomo with an 18-point lead over his closest challenger, Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist. In the first round of ranked-choice voting, Cuomo garnered 34% of the vote, while Mamdani secured 16%.
IMPACT OF ERIC ADAMS’ EXIT FROM DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY
The Siena poll revealed that Cuomo’s lead remained stable even after New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced he would not seek the Democratic nomination, opting to run as an independent. While some expected Cuomo’s position to strengthen as a result, the race did not see a significant shift. Cuomo, along with Adams, shares a base of support from blue-collar New Yorkers in areas such as Queens and Brooklyn.
RANKED-CHOICE VOTING AND POLL RESULTS
Siena’s survey simulated New York City’s new ranked-choice voting system, which allows voters to rank candidates by preference. The results showed Cuomo winning with 54% of the vote in the eighth round of ranked-choice voting, defeating Mamdani. Brad Lander, a left-wing Democrat, finished third, while other candidates such as Adrienne Adams and Scott Stringer received single-digit support in the first round.
CUOMO’S STRONG SUPPORT AMONG BLACK AND HISPANIC VOTERS
Cuomo’s support among minority communities, particularly Black and Hispanic voters, remains robust. According to the poll, Cuomo drew 42% of the vote from Black voters and 39% from Hispanic voters. These communities have been a crucial part of his political base throughout his tenure as governor.
CUOMO FACES CAMPAIGN CHALLENGES
Despite his lead in the mayoral race, Cuomo faced a setback when campaign finance regulators announced he did not qualify for $2.5 million in public matching funds. His campaign attributed this issue to a technical error. Additionally, Cuomo has faced controversy due to sexual harassment allegations, which led to his resignation as governor in 2021, although he has denied the accusations.
POLL SHOWS FIXED POLITICAL DYNAMICS IN NYC RACE
The Siena College poll is one of the few to reflect the dynamics of the ranked-choice voting system in New York City’s mayoral race. The findings highlight that despite shifting political circumstances, Cuomo’s lead has remained largely intact, and the race is expected to be competitive as candidates with lower support are eliminated in the rounds.
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