With less than two months to go before New York City’s mayoral election, the political landscape has been upended by a new poll showing Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist state assemblyman, holding a commanding 22-point lead over former Governor Andrew Cuomo. The New York Times/Siena College survey, released September 9, 2025, places Mamdani at 46% support among likely voters, compared to Cuomo’s 24%. Republican Curtis Sliwa trails with 15%, while incumbent Mayor Eric Adams finds himself in a distant fourth place at 9%.
This dramatic shift in the race has set off a flurry of activity—and anxiety—among New York’s political and financial elite. According to WABC and The New York Times, some of the city’s wealthiest landlords convened a closed-door emergency meeting Tuesday morning to strategize on consolidating support behind Cuomo, seen as the centrist alternative to Mamdani’s insurgent campaign. Their goal: to narrow the field and unite opposition to the progressive frontrunner.
The poll’s findings reveal a generational divide. Don Levy, director of Siena Research Institute, explained, "Mamdani holds a huge lead among younger voters while voters forty-five and older are split between Cuomo and Mamdani in the four-way race." The data suggests that if Sliwa and Adams were to exit, Cuomo would absorb most of their support, shrinking Mamdani’s lead to just four points. Yet both Adams and Sliwa have dismissed any notion of dropping out. "You have to really energize the voters and so it doesn't surprise me that after spending $35 million, he's where he is. Now, it's my opportunity to spend my money and get my message out," Adams said on Tuesday, downplaying the poll and rumors about his own future in the race.
Meanwhile, national political figures have entered the fray. President Donald Trump, speaking on WABC Radio, urged the challengers to unite against Mamdani, whom he labeled a "communist mayor." Trump denied offering Adams any incentive to quit but made clear his preference for anyone over Mamdani: "We're going to have a communist mayor in New York. How about that one? We are going to end up with a communist mayor." According to Common Dreams and CNN, the Trump administration has reportedly dangled administration posts in front of both Adams and Sliwa in exchange for their withdrawal, in a bid to clear the path for Cuomo. Adams, for his part, denied any such offers: "No one made an offer to me," he told reporters, adding, "I can't get any clearer than that."
The poll also explored a hypothetical head-to-head matchup between Cuomo and Mamdani. In that scenario, Mamdani’s lead narrows to just four points: 48% to 44%. Both Adams and Cuomo have publicly brushed off the poll’s significance. Cuomo remarked, "You know, it’s a poll. There’ll be a lot of polls. And I don’t take any of them that seriously. I think this is going to come down to a two-person race, at the end of the day." Adams echoed this skepticism, recalling primary polling that was wildly off the mark: "Seven weeks out from the primary, the Polymarkets had Cuomo 87% to win. Andrew spent $35 million, and he lost to Mamdani by double digits."
Despite Mamdani’s clear momentum and his decisive primary victory, much of the Democratic Party’s establishment remains on the sidelines. According to Common Dreams and CNN, party leaders such as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have yet to endorse Mamdani, despite growing pressure from the party’s progressive base. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez publicly questioned this hesitation, saying, "Are we a party who rallies behind our nominee or not? If an individual doesn't want to support the party's nominee now, it complicates their ability to ask voters to support any nominee later."
Senator Bernie Sanders, who joined Mamdani at the Fighting Oligarchy town hall on September 6, didn’t mince words: "It's no great secret that they're way out of touch with grassroots America, with the working families of this country, not only in New York City, but all over this country." Sanders, a Brooklyn native, argued that New York Democrats should be "jumping up and down" to support a candidate who has galvanized young voters and built a movement around affordability, housing, and public transportation.
Political strategists and commentators have pointed to "donor pressure" as a key reason for party leadership’s reluctance. Former Obama campaign manager David Axelrod told CNN that the leadership’s "fealty to these donors over the groundswell of support for Mamdani was a mistake." He noted that Mamdani "carried Hakeem Jeffries' district by a 12-point margin," undercutting claims that the candidate lacks broad appeal. Matt Duss, a former Sanders adviser, was even more blunt, saying, "We should also be completely clear that 'donor pressure' is just a polite way of saying 'political corruption.'"
The financial firepower aligned against Mamdani is formidable. The billionaire-funded Fix the City PAC, backed by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, has poured more than $15 million into efforts to boost Cuomo. Another group, New Yorkers for a Better Future Mayor '25, has set a $25 million goal to defeat Mamdani, drawing support from pro-Israel hedge fund manager Bill Ackman and major real estate interests. Despite this, Mamdani’s campaign has thrived on small-dollar donations and grassroots organizing.
On the issues, Mamdani appears to have struck a chord with voters. The Times/Siena poll found that New Yorkers trust him most not only on affordability and housing, but also on crime, taxation, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict—areas typically seen as vulnerabilities for progressive candidates. His spokesperson, Dora Pekec, responded to the poll by declaring, "The backroom scheming from Donald Trump and the billionaire class is backfiring, as New Yorkers see Zohran Mamdani is the only candidate who will fight to make the most expensive city in the country more affordable. Our campaign is busy building a movement that puts working people first—mobilizing thousands to get involved in the democratic process and fight for a new kind of politics."
Governor Kathy Hochul, another key Democratic figure, has met with Mamdani several times but has yet to make an endorsement. According to Politico, she dismissed the reported talks between Adams and Trump aides with a profanity, but her public neutrality continues to frustrate progressives eager for party unity.
As the campaign barrels toward its final weeks, the dynamics remain fluid. The city’s establishment, big donors, and national political leaders are all maneuvering behind the scenes. Yet for now, Mamdani’s campaign—powered by young voters, grassroots activism, and a clear message on affordability—has upended the traditional calculus of New York City politics. Whether the opposition can unite in time, or if the old guard will finally rally behind their party’s nominee, is the question on everyone’s mind as Election Day approaches.
The next few weeks promise high drama, shifting alliances, and, perhaps, a new chapter in the city’s storied political history.
