With only a week left until the general election on November 4th, independent candidate and former governor Andrew Cuomo’s lead over Democratic Socialist and Democratic Party candidate Zohran Mamdani has narrowed to 10 percentage points in the latest poll in New York City. Supermarket tycoon John Catsimatidis held a press conference on the 27th, openly supporting Cuomo and urging voters to “unite to save New York,” adding a new variable to this ideologically divisive campaign.
According to a late October poll by Quinnipiac University, Mamdani stands at 44% support, Cuomo at 34%, and Republican candidate and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa at 11%. The remaining candidates collectively garnered 2%, with 7% undecided and 2% refusing to answer. This survey was conducted after the incumbent mayor, Eric Adams, announced his withdrawal from the race and voiced support for Cuomo.
Poll analysis indicates that Cuomo has seen a significant increase in support among Hispanic voters and independent voters.
David Paleologos, director of the Quinnipiac Political Research Center, pointed out, “The real decision-makers in the election are not party leaders or billionaires but Sliwa and his supporters.”
On the 27th, billionaire and WABC radio owner Catsimatidis held a press conference in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, attended by former governor David Paterson, former judge Richard Weinberg, and former prison union president Norman Seabrook, urging voters to support Cuomo.
Catsimatidis emphasized that this election is “not a party quarrel, but a battle for survival… We are losing New York.” He said, “People are scared, businesses are closing, families are moving away. This city needs a leader who can take immediate action, not one whose effects will be seen in ten years.”
Catsimatidis denied rumors that he pressured Republican mayoral candidate Sliwa to withdraw from the race, stating that they have been good friends for many years, and he has supported the Guardian Angels for forty years. The supermarket tycoon explained that just three weeks ago, he encouraged Sliwa to continue running if he could improve in the polls, telling him, “Keep fighting.”
“But at some point, you’ll say, guys, we don’t want to lose New York. That’s the crux of the matter. We don’t want to lose New York… that’s the point,” Catsimatidis emphasized.
Former governor Paterson praised Cuomo’s administrative abilities at the press conference but stated he had not yet decided on whom to support. He referred to this mayoral election as “perhaps the most influential in recent history,” involving crucial issues such as housing affordability, employment, and public safety.
Mamdani, aged 34, is of Ugandan Muslim descent and would be the first Muslim and millennial mayor in New York City if elected. His platform revolves around “affordable living” and a “fair economy,” gaining support from progressive leaders such as Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders.
Cuomo warned that if Mamdani wins, New York would plunge into “anarchy and chaos.” He also criticized Mamdani for insulting the Jewish community, stating that his anti-Israel remarks carried anti-Semitic undertones. Mamdani fired back, accusing Cuomo of having “Islamophobia and racial prejudice” in his rhetoric.
Fox News analysis suggests that Sliwa’s votes could be pivotal in determining Cuomo’s victory. Polls show that if Sliwa withdraws, 36% of his supporters lean towards Cuomo, with only 2% choosing Mamdani. Catsimatidis and several conservatives have openly called for Sliwa to drop out to facilitate a one-on-one showdown between Cuomo and Mamdani, preventing a left-wing mayoral candidate’s victory.
Early voting for the general election began on October 25th and will continue until November 2nd, with the official voting day set for November 4th.