It's Tuesday night, which means it's Primary Night in America, specifically for Democratic voters in New York City, the nation's largest city. Democrats will select their nominee for mayor using rank choice voting. Although it's a particularly crowded field with 11 candidates, the race is expected to come down to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. Polls close at 9 pm ET, though we may not know the results tonight.
As Townhall has been covering in recent months, but especially as the primary has loomed closer, Mamdani is a radical far-leftist who openly embraces socialist ideas, including city-owned grocery stores and freezing rent, as well as "free" childcare and public transportation. He's also defended pro-Hamas figures and phrases, from activist Mahmoud Khalil to the phrase "globalize the intifada," and then played the victim when called out for his antisemitism, which is perhaps where Cuomo has looked to draw the starkest contrast. Mamndani is also radical on illegal immigration, as he sought to aggressively confront Tom Homan back in March, with a video of his concerning behavior resurfacing this month. Outlets such as The New York Times and the Chicago Tribune, speaking of its own far-left mayor, Brandon Johnson, have published editorials warning voters against Mamdani.
Cuomo, on the other hand, faced many scandals during his time as governor, which unceremoniously came to an end in August 2021 when he resigned due to multiple sexual harassment allegations against him. The current governor, Kathy Hochul, stepped in as Cuomo's replacement. Cuomo also faced scandals during COVID, from the cover up of deaths of nursing home patients, which he blamed on nursing home staff, to promoting vaccine passports, and trying to promote his book. Although he won an Emmy for his COVID briefings, it was later rescinded. House Committee Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) referred Cuomo to the Department of Justice (DOJ) in April of this year for criminal referral.
Mamdani has touted support from other far-left Democrats who refuse to stand by Israel. In addition to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), a founding member of the Squad, there's former Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), who was another member of the Squad until he was ousted, after he lost his primary to now Rep. George Latimer one year ago this week.
Cuomo has been endorsed by other prominent Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton.
Although Cuomo was seen as an early favorite, Mamdani has seen a last minute surge. A poll released on Monday from Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill, which the press release noted was their final poll, shows Cuomo with 35 percent support to Mamdani's 32 percent. Such a lead is within the margin of error among Democrat primary voters, plus or minus 3.4 percentage points. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who drew attention to himself with last week's arrest and temporary detainment when interfering with arrests made by ICE, is polling a distant third and has teamed up with Mamdani to try to take down Cuomo.
The winner will face Mayor Eric Adams, who was elected in 2021 as a Democrat but is running this cycle as an independent, as well as Republican Curtis Sliwa.
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