Zohran Mamdani, a self-described Democratic socialist, has overtaken former Governor Andrew Cuomo in a new ranked-choice poll of New York City’s likely Democratic voters, shaking up the race just before primary day.
Key Facts:
- Mamdani leads Cuomo 51.8% to 48.2% in the final round of ranked-choice voting in the new Emerson College poll.
- Cuomo initially led by 3 points in first-choice votes: 35% to Mamdani’s 32%.
- Support from Brad Lander’s voters helped push Mamdani past Cuomo in later voting rounds.
- Voters under 50 heavily favored Mamdani, while older and minority voters leaned toward Cuomo.
- The poll has a margin of error of ±3.6% and was conducted June 18–20 among 729 likely Democratic voters.
The Rest of The Story:
The latest Emerson College Poll shows Zohran Mamdani with a dramatic late-stage lead over Andrew Cuomo in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary.
While Cuomo maintains a slim lead in initial first-choice preferences, ranked-choice vote transfers ultimately shift the outcome.
By round eight, Mamdani edges ahead with 51.8% to Cuomo’s 48.2%.
Mamdani’s gains were largely fueled by supporters of city Comptroller Brad Lander, who was eliminated in the seventh round.
Lander had publicly endorsed Mamdani as his second choice, and many of his voters followed suit.
Emerson’s polling director Spencer Kimball stated, “Mamdani’s support has surged from 1% to 32% over five months.”
Despite Mamdani’s rise, other polls such as one from Marist College show Cuomo holding a solid lead, casting some doubt on Emerson’s results.
Cuomo’s campaign responded sharply, calling the poll an “outlier” and asserting, “Every other credible poll in this election… has shown Governor Cuomo with a double-digit lead.”
🚨 JUST IN: Socialist Zohran Mamdani jumps ahead of Andrew Cuomo for tomorrow’s NYC mayor primary for the final round of ranked choice voting – Emerson pic.twitter.com/dpIKXGQMyk
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) June 23, 2025
Commentary:
From what we know of Zohran Mamdani, this surge should come as a warning, not a celebration.
He has been clear about his far-left agenda—an agenda that’s already contributed to much of the dysfunction seen in the city council.
If New Yorkers elect him, they will get exactly what they asked for.
Zohran Mamdani has announced he wants to implement government-owned supermarkets in NYC.
He is literally trying to implement communism in New York. New Yorkers need to get out to vote.
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) June 23, 2025
Mamdani’s rapid rise in the polls isn’t organic.
It’s a result of coordinated efforts by radical political groups like the Working Families Party and figures like Brad Lander to steer the city further left.
These aren’t your garden-variety progressives—they’re ideologues who see wealth creation and law enforcement as problems to be solved rather than pillars of stability.
Businesses and high-income residents already on edge will see Mamdani’s potential victory as a final signal to pack up.
Empty office buildings, rising crime, and plummeting tax revenue will only accelerate.
You don’t need a crystal ball to see what’s coming—it’s playing out in cities like San Francisco and Portland already.
Mamdani’s support among white and Asian voters is striking, but older and minority communities—those who’ve lived through the worst of urban decay—still lean toward Cuomo.
That says something.
They understand that ideological experiments sound great until your subway stop becomes a tent city.
And yet, it’s hard to muster much enthusiasm for Cuomo either.
This is the man who signed deadly COVID policies, covered up nursing home deaths, and resigned in disgrace.
If he’s the “moderate” alternative, it’s a sign of just how broken the political landscape has become.
This race isn’t about hope—it’s about damage control.
New Yorkers are choosing between an authoritarian retread and a socialist ideologue.
Neither bodes well for economic recovery, public safety, or common sense governance.
What’s left of the city’s middle class—what hasn’t moved to Florida or Texas—should be very nervous.
Because if Mamdani wins, the policies he pushes won’t just be tweets and speeches.
They’ll be laws, taxes, and executive orders.
And don’t expect much resistance from the Democratic establishment.
They built this monster, fed it, and now seem shocked it’s leading the polls.
The city’s next chapter could be even darker than the last.
The Bottom Line:
Zohran Mamdani has surged into first place in the latest NYC Democratic primary poll, thanks to ranked-choice dynamics and support from left-wing allies.
Andrew Cuomo, though still favored in some polls, may not have enough crossover appeal to hold off the challenge.
Voters face a stark decision: double down on failed progressive policies or bring back a scandal-plagued former governor.
Either way, the city’s future is hanging in the balance.
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