NEW YORK (Diya TV) — Democratic socialist and upstart progressive sensation Zohran Mamdani, 33, has pulled ahead of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo for the first time in the election to be the next mayor of New York City, a new poll done for POLITICO reviewed in full.
The survey, conducted by Public Policy Polling and paid for by city comptroller hopeful Justin Brannan, has Mamdani up on Cuomo 35% to 31%, a four-point lead within the survey’s 4.1% margin of error. The survey polled 573 likely Democratic primary voters between June 6 and June 7, just days after the first TV debate and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s bombshell endorsement of Mamdani on June 5.
The poll represents a dramatic turn in the race, in which Cuomo had boasted a dominating lead ever since declaring his candidacy on March 1. The survey did not involve a ranked-choice voting simulation that will be a key factor in the June 24 Democratic primary. But it reflects increasing momentum for Mamdani, who has mounted a grass-roots campaign powered by social media and ambitious progressive policies.
Mamdani’s campaign has championed initiatives such as fare-free public transit and government-run grocery stores — policies that have energized younger and left-leaning voters, even as critics question the feasibility and funding of such plans. His support was strongest among white and Asian voters, but he also gained traction among Black (27%) and Hispanic (around 33%) voters, suggesting his appeal is becoming more multiracial. Cuomo remains ahead of Black voters at 42%, the survey reports.
“This is what happens when you run a disciplined, grassroots campaign relentlessly focused on an agenda to address the crises in working people’s lives,” Mamdani spokesperson Andrew Epstein declared in a statement to POLITICO. “New York City is so close to turning the page on the corrupt politics of the past.”
The survey format — 39% landline, 61% text message reply — could have benefited Mamdani, who responds well to younger and more tech-savvy voters, POLITICO observes.
Cuomo’s team scoffed at the results, citing their in-house polling done by Expedition Strategies, which had the former governor winning by 12 points, 56% to 44%, after eight ranked-choice rounds of voting. That poll was taken during the same week that one placed Mamdani ahead. A third poll, conducted by Data for Progress for a Mamdani-aligned super PAC, also gave Cuomo a slight edge, 51% to 49%, after ranked-choice calculations.
“It’s interesting that the only polls reporting this trend line are paid for by Zohran Mamdani Inc,” Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi said in a statement to POLITICO, referencing a campaign fundraising video Mamdani made for Brannan — although Brannan’s campaign had commissioned the poll before that video.
The contest seems to be tightening into a fight between its youngest and oldest contenders. Other candidates lag far behind in the polls. City Comptroller Brad Lander received only 9% of the vote, even with his citywide bid and experience with the progressive movement. Former comptroller Scott Stringer and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams lagged further at 5% and 4%, respectively, even with Adams’ support from Attorney General Letitia James and labor powerhouse District Council 37.
With the June 24 primary drawing near, Cuomo and Mamdani are likely to ramp up their campaigns, with another debate on tap for Thursday evening. Cuomo has increasingly pressed Mamdani on his inexperience as an executive and record as a legislator, trying to raise questions about his suitability to run the nation’s most complicated and challenging city.
Still, Mamdani’s rise from long-shot candidate to frontrunner highlights the volatility and energy of this year’s race, one shaped as much by endorsements and grassroots enthusiasm as it is by traditional power bases.
