Cuomo Surges, Mamdani Stumbles: NYC Voters Shift Toward Stability as Election Nears

With just days before New Yorkers head to the polls, the city’s high-stakes mayoral race has taken a dramatic turn — and the far-left is feeling the pressure.

A new Quinnipiac University poll reveals that Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani’s once-commanding lead over former Governor Andrew Cuomo has collapsed, shrinking from 20 points in September to just 10.

The numbers tell the story: Mamdani holds 44% of likely voters, while Cuomo, running as an independent, has climbed to 34%. Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa trails with 11%, and 7% remain undecided.

The shift marks a major blow to New York’s progressive movement, signaling that voters may be turning away from socialism and back toward pragmatism. Cuomo’s steady comeback and renewed presence on the campaign trail have energized moderates, working-class voters, and older New Yorkers — groups increasingly uneasy about the city’s lurch to the far left.

Cuomo’s resurgence has been aided by a wave of high-profile endorsements, most notably from Mayor Eric Adams, who dropped out of the race but remains on the ballot. Adams’ decision to back Cuomo as the candidate most capable of tackling crime, housing costs, and quality-of-life issues has reshaped the race, giving Cuomo’s campaign a late surge of legitimacy and momentum.

Among outer-borough voters — many of whom feel alienated by Mamdani’s socialist rhetoric — Cuomo’s message of “stability over ideology” has begun to resonate deeply. His call to reject “utopian socialism” and focus on rebuilding a functional city government has become a defining theme.

Cuomo has slammed Mamdani’s platform — which includes expanding rent control, hiking taxes on luxury property owners, and cutting police budgets — as a dangerous experiment that would drive businesses and families out of the city.
“New York can’t afford another round of progressive wishful thinking,” Cuomo told supporters this week.

Mamdani, a 34-year-old assemblyman from Queens and rising star among New York’s far-left activists, has struggled to regain control of the narrative. His campaign, built around class warfare and redistributionist economics, is losing ground as concerns about public safety and economic decline dominate voter priorities.

Even some Democrats who once cheered Mamdani’s insurgent primary victory are now having second thoughts. Following a string of heated debates, Cuomo branded his opponent “a Twitter activist pretending to be a mayor,” while Mamdani fired back by dredging up Cuomo’s past scandals and resignation — a move that may have backfired among voters craving maturity and leadership.

Beyond personalities, this election has become a referendum on New York’s identity: whether the city continues its descent into ideological extremism or opts for a return to order and competence.

If Mamdani wins, he would be New York’s first Muslim mayor — a historic milestone his supporters highlight. Yet, for many undecided voters, symbolism is taking a backseat to survival. Rising crime, unaffordable rent, and a faltering economy have made “experience and results” the new currency of politics in America’s largest city.

With momentum shifting fast, the progressive left’s grip on New York may be slipping — and Cuomo’s comeback could mark the beginning of a broader realignment in urban politics across the country.