New York City’s Democratic primary race for mayor has been upended by a dramatic new poll showing State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani leading former Governor Andrew Cuomo for the first time. The poll, conducted by Public Policy Polling for Democrat Justin Brannan’s city comptroller campaign, shows Mamdani ahead with 35% support to Cuomo’s 31%, within a 4.1% margin of error.
The survey of 573 likely Democratic voters was conducted on June 6-7—just one day after Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) officially endorsed Mamdani. Her backing appears to have injected new energy into Mamdani’s campaign, solidifying his status as the leading progressive in a race that has narrowed into a two-man contest.
Mamdani, 33, was elected to the State Assembly in 2020 and has since carved out a reputation as a staunch progressive in Albany. Running on a platform that includes free public transportation, universal child care, and government-run grocery stores, Mamdani has gained support from younger and left-leaning voters.
Yet his ambitious proposals come with significant budgetary questions. Policy experts estimate his slate of social programs would require around $10 billion in annual funding—no small ask in a city already grappling with fiscal uncertainty. Critics have noted the lack of detailed funding mechanisms behind his platform.
Still, Mamdani’s campaign has gained momentum through a digital media strategy and growing alliances with high-profile progressives. “When you run a disciplined, grassroots campaign relentlessly focused on an agenda to address the crises in working people’s lives, these are the results,” said campaign spokesperson Andrew Epstein.
Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, meanwhile, has dismissed the poll as unreliable. His spokesperson Rich Azzopardi criticized the methodology and questioned the objectivity of the poll’s sponsors, stating, “The only polls showing this trend line are paid for by Zohran Mamdani Inc.”
Cuomo’s team maintains that their internal numbers show a consistent double-digit lead, and they suggest the poll may overrepresent digitally active, younger voters—61% of respondents were reached by text, compared to traditional landlines.
“You can’t govern a city of 8 million people with slogans,” Cuomo said earlier this week. He continues to enjoy strong support among black voters, while Mamdani performs best with white and Asian constituencies.
Notably, the PPP poll did not simulate ranked-choice voting (RCV), which will determine the outcome of the June 24 Democratic primary. Under RCV, voters rank up to five candidates in order of preference, and votes are redistributed until one candidate surpasses 50%. A recent Emerson poll indicated that Mamdani tends to gain momentum in the later rounds, potentially giving him an edge if the race remains tight.
Meanwhile, incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, running as an independent, has been polling well behind both Mamdani and Cuomo.
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Poll may be correct. NYC voters are stupid enough to vote for a socialist thinking that they will all get something for free.