Andrew Cuomo Leads in Democratic Primary Poll, But Rival Mamdani Gains Traction Among Younger Voters
Former Governor Andrew Cuomo is maintaining a strong lead in the upcoming Democratic primary for mayor, according to a new survey released on Wednesday. However, his opponent Zohran Mamdani is making significant gains among voters under the age of 45.
The poll, conducted by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, shows Cuomo as the choice of 37% of likely Democratic voters, with Mamdani, a Queens Assemblyman, trailing at 18%. Despite Mamdani’s rise, pollster Lee Miringoff believes Cuomo is currently on track for success.
Ranked choice voting will be used in the primary, giving hope to other candidates as the race progresses. However, the poll indicates that Cuomo would ultimately prevail in a simulated ranked choice voting contest, starting at 44% and defeating Mamdani 60% to 40% in the final round.
While Cuomo is leading among older voters, Mamdani has a strong hold on voters under 45. The survey also shows Mamdani winning the support of Democrats who identify as “very liberal,” while Cuomo leads among liberals, moderates, and conservatives.
Demographically, black voters overwhelmingly support Cuomo, while Mamdani has more support among Latino voters. Jewish voters are divided among several candidates, with Cuomo leading the pack.
The poll also revealed that a majority of likely Democratic primary voters believe New York City is heading in the wrong direction. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams has dropped out of the race and plans to run for re-election independently.
Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and independent candidate Jim Walden are also in the mayoral race. The survey, which polled 3,383 likely Democratic voters, has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.
With early voting set to begin in June, the race for mayor is heating up as candidates vie for support across the city.
