Trump Endorses Cuomo and Threatens NYC Funding on Eve of Elections

Overview

• Trump labeled Democrat Zohran Mamdani a “communist” and said he would limit federal support to New York if Mamdani wins, while urging voters to back independent Andrew Cuomo over Republican Curtis Sliwa.
• Quinnipiac polling from Oct. 23–27 shows Mamdani leading the NYC mayoral race at 43%, followed by Cuomo at 33% and Sliwa at 14%, after Mamdani won the Democratic primary in July.
• Barack Obama campaigned Nov. 1 in Virginia and New Jersey for Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill, attacking Trump’s tariff policy as costly for families and warning of active threats to U.S. democracy.
• Elon Musk used X to press New Yorkers to vote for Cuomo, reinforcing late pressure from high-profile figures weighing in on the single-round mayoral contest.
• Voters head to the polls Nov. 4 for governorships in Virginia and New Jersey and New York City’s mayoralty, contests widely viewed as bellwethers for the 2026 midterms amid concerns over inflation, housing and public safety.