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2mo ago

NYC Mayoral Primary Tightens as Mamdani Gains Progressive Backing

Bernie Sanders’s endorsement, joined by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s support, is boosting Mamdani’s challenge just as early voting begins.

Democratic mayoral candidates Andrew Cuomo, far left, and Zohran Mamdani, second from right, present arguments as Whitney Tilson, second from left, and Michael Blake look on during a Democratic mayoral primary debate, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in New York.
ranked-choice voting sign

Overview

  • Early voting commenced June 14 with 66,361 ballots cast through day two, reflecting high participation across all five boroughs.
  • A Marist poll of 1,350 likely Democratic voters found Cuomo leading first-choice preferences 38% to Mamdani’s 27%, with 11% undecided and ranked-choice projections narrowing the gap to 55%–45%.
  • Mamdani secured Sanders’s backing on June 17 and earlier endorsement from Ocasio-Cortez, and has cross-endorsed with Brad Lander and Michael Blake to consolidate progressive rankings.
  • Some early voters questioned Mamdani’s top placement on the ballot, prompting calls for greater transparency in the NYC Board of Elections’ random drawing process.
  • The race has become a referendum on party direction, pitting Cuomo’s centrist focus on affordability and public safety against Mamdani’s progressive agenda of rent freezes and city-owned services.