New York City’s Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is way out ahead of his opponents in a new poll.
Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, is in the lead with 46% of the vote in a new New York Times/Siena poll, compared to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo with 24%, Republican Curtis Silwa with 15%, and current Mayor Eric Adams with 9%.
In a head-to-head match-up with Cuomo, Mamdani leads 48%-44%, the poll shows.
In recent days, Mamdani defended his idea of instituting city-run grocery stores despite recent news of a similar operation closing in Missouri.
He did so during a CNN appearance after host Abby Phillip pointed to an example of a failed city-run store in Kansas City.
A note on the doors of the Kansas City Sun Fresh market says they are “no longer ... able to serve the residents.”
“It has always been our dream and passion to provide quality products and services in a safe, family environment. At this time, unfortunately, we are unable to do that,” the note reads.
The grocery store proposal isn’t the political newcomer’s only controversial campaign promise. Others include widespread rent freezes, free buses and universal child care.
His socialist political views and media savviness have managed to capture national attention and the president’s ire.
Mamdani on city-run grocery stores
The store in Kansas City “opened in 2018 as part of a $15 million, public/private” partnership, as one local outlet reported.
According to Fox News Business, the Kansas City Council approved $750,000 in emergency funding to keep the grocery store open.
“It’s been there for years, but it’s (closed) because it doesn’t work. They’ve been riddled with crime. They’ve dealt with just a lack of inventory. There are other examples where it just hasn’t worked because frankly the government is not that good at being in the business of grocery stores,” Phillip said. “So, what do you say to that example?”
In his response, Mamdani revealed the stakes if his city took on his idea of making groceries more affordable.
“I say to that example, as well as the examples of our own failures, city government right here in New York City, that we have to prove not only the efficacy but the excellence of this idea,” he said.
“Because for every one example that you can point to, there’s another municipality today considering opening a city-run grocery store.”
He also revealed a few details on how he would go about his plans.
“We will bring the best and brightest to deliver it, and it will be five stores at the cost of $60 million, which is less than half the city’s already spending on subsidizing corporate supermarkets,” Mamdani said.
Trump tries to exert influence on NYC race
President Donald Trump isn’t a fan of Mamdani. He has attacked the Democratic candidate as a “communist lunatic” and said he’d prefer a one-on-one match against the mayoral candidate to guarantee his loss during a dinner with tech executives last Thursday.
“I don’t think you can win unless you have one-on-one and somehow he’s gotten a little bit of a lead,” Trump said. “I have no idea how that happened.”
In response, Mamdani challenged Trump to a televised debate.
Cuomo is the candidate most anti-Mamdani voices are coalescing behind, but Silwa and Adams say they won’t drop out of the race.
A spokesperson for Mamdani called Cuomo “Trump’s choice candidate for mayor.”
“They share the same billionaire donors, colluded on the race and Trump himself said the two have ‘always gotten along,’” the spokesperson said.
Although reports indicate Trump advisers considered asking urging or encouraging any candidates to drop out, the president denied doing such a thing during Thursday’s meeting. But he continues to make remarks about the NYC mayoral race.
At Friday’s media availability, Trump, talking about Adams staying in the race, said, “He is free to do what he wants,” but, as the White House pool report noted, he appeared disappointed.
While he noted that “the only way to beat the communist” is by shrinking the field, if Mamdani wins, “He’ll have to go through the White House.”