Overview
- Andrew Cuomo officially launched his independent mayoral campaign in mid-July, vowing to defeat Zohran Mamdani and accusing him of offering "slick slogans but no real solutions."
- A Manhattan Institute poll places Mamdani at 40% support to Cuomo’s 24%, with Eric Adams and Republican Curtis Sliwa polling around 15% each, underscoring the competitiveness of a four-way general election.
- Cuomo is urging rival contenders, excluding Mamdani, to pledge by mid-September to exit the race if they are not in first place to avoid vote-splitting.
- Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams and GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa will also appear on the November ballot as independents, further fragmenting the field in a city where Democratic primary winners usually prevail.
- Campaigns are adapting to New York City’s ranked-choice voting system through alliance talks and consolidation pledges to navigate a fractured centrist field.