Overview

• According to The New York Times, Trump spoke with Cuomo about the mayoral election, a claim both have publicly denied.
• The president has privately asked Republican allies, New York businessmen and pollster Mark Penn to assess who can best challenge Zohran Mamdani.
• Zohran Mamdani leads general election polls with roughly 50 percent support in a crowded five-way contest.
• Mamdani labeled any coordination between Cuomo and Trump disqualifying and portrayed it as a betrayal of New Yorkers’ trust.
• Independent bids by Cuomo and Mayor Adams alongside Republican Curtis Sliwa have fractured the field and driven strategic second-choice negotiations under ranked-choice voting.