New York state representative Zohran Mamdani has a 22-point lead among likely voters in the four-way New York City mayor race, even as three-fourths of Jews disapprove of the Democratic nominee and self-identified socialist.
A Quinnipiac University poll of likely New York City voters gave Mamdani 45%, followed by former state governor Andrew Cuomo (23%), Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa (15%) and New York City Mayor Eric Adams (12%). Cuomo and Adams are running as independents.
In addition, 91% of Mamdani supporters said they were enthusiastic about their candidate, compared with 79% of Sliwa backers, 75% of Cuomo supporters and 75% of those in Adams’ camp.
“In a mayoral race that seems to grow more intense by the day, Zohran Mamdani has the wind at his back less than two months until Election Day,” stated Quinnipiac poll assistant director Mary Snow. “While a lot can happen in the race between now and Nov. 4, Mamdani’s edge on enthusiasm among supporters is a plus.”
Adams led among Jewish voters with 42%—double Mamdani’s 21%. Cuomo was third with 20%. Jews also gave Adams positive job approval ratings, 58% to 40%, even as all likely voters disapproved of his tenure as mayor 66% to 28%.
Some 75% of likely Jewish voters see Mamdani unfavorably, compared with his overall favorable ratings, 45% to 36%. And while Adams was viewed unfavorably citywide 68% to 23%, Jewish voters gave him 56% positive and 42% negative ratings.
Jews, like other likely voters, expressed negative opinions about Cuomo and Sliwa.
Mamdani has tried to clarify his position after refusing to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada,” which the Anti-Defamation League says invokes “a decades-old history of attacks on the Jewish people” and is “an act of an incitement that encourages violence against Jews.”
He has accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza.
The poll of 967 New York City likely voters was conducted between Sept. 4 and 8 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.
