This Monday, the U.S. President has attacked him, asking for votes for one of his rivals, but not from his own party. "If the communist candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the mayoral elections in the city of New York, it is very unlikely that I will contribute federal funds, beyond the minimum necessary, to my beloved hometown, because, as a communist, this once great city has no chance of success, not even of surviving! With a communist in charge, the situation can only worsen, and as president, I do not want to continue wasting money," he wrote on his social media. "Like it or not Andrew Cuomo, you have no choice. You must vote for him and hope he does a fantastic job. He is capable, Mamdani is not!".
The emergence of young Mamdani, until a few months ago a total unknown member of the State legislative assembly, has revolutionized city politics. With the slogan "Our time is now", he decisively won the primaries thanks to personal charisma, social media, short videos, and to a large extent, the help of his mother, a film director. The citizens - especially Democratic voters - made it clear that his agenda, focused on the cost of living, impossible rents, supermarket inflation, and public transportation, was what they wanted. And that they were tired of the old rockers of the past.
His rivals at the time were Eric Adams, who fell from grace due to an investigation into alleged bribes from foreign countries that the Trump Department of Justice decided to ignore. And Andrew M. Cuomo, former Governor of the State who had to step aside years ago due to numerous allegations of sexual harassment against him. Both continued in the race despite being rejected by the party base, as independents, thanks to the support of many of the city's millionaires, horrified by what they consider their worst nightmare: a socialist, a "radical," who talks about raising taxes on the rich and having Wall Street money fund programs for the most disadvantaged. And who owes them no favors from the past.
But these elections have broken municipal constraints and have become a battleground for national politics. Trump does not go two days without attacking Mamdani, urging citizens not to vote for him, and threatening to cut city funds. And the Democratic Party itself, divided, is trying to weather a storm over its own soul. Only the far-left wing, represented by Senator Bernie Sanders and New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, has enthusiastically supported him. The rest are either against him or support him with reservations, from Kamala Harris to the leader of the minority in Congress, Hakeem Jeffries, and even Barack Obama. Too left-wing, too critical of Israel. There is a profound ideological battle underway, and backs are against the wall.
There are three 'viable' candidates on the ballots this year: Mamdani, the aforementioned Cuomo as an independent, and the Republican Curtis Sliwa, a self-proclaimed conservative populist but anti-MAGA, whom Trump does not even support. Sliwa is a figure in the city's history. Founder of the Guardian Angels, red beret-wearing volunteers who 'patrolled' the city and contributed to crime prevention. He was shot by the mafia, succeeded as a radio host, and as an activist against illegal immigration. Polls barely give him a 15% intention to vote.
Most polls give Mamdani a lead of between 10 and 20 points, with around 45% intention to vote. Only if Sliwa had withdrawn and endorsed Cuomo, the result would have been much closer, but that was not the case. Betting houses currently give a probability of between 90 and 97% for the socialist's victory, especially due to the number of people who have already voted and his profile. Over 735,000 New Yorkers (almost double that of 2022) have opted for early voting, the highest in-person early participation in history, especially among young people, which experts believe benefits the Democrat. In last year's presidential elections, a million people voted early, but they were mostly much older individuals.
In recent days, Mamdani's significant lead has slightly decreased. Cuomo and Sliwa have attacked his lack of experience and appealed to how he will not be able to govern a gigantic city. Conservative press claims that, if he wins, the "city will fall," "Jews will not be safe," or that hundreds of thousands of wealthier individuals will leave for other states. His strategy, effective for now, has been to acknowledge his weaknesses and seek advice from party experts, businessmen, and officials. Listen to critics, skeptics, and adjust positions. Years ago, he strongly criticized the city's police, but now, aware that he cannot govern with them against him, he has apologized to them for his words.
Yesterday, the day before the elections, Mamdani arrived with hundreds of supporters at the Brooklyn Bridge before dawn and crossed it on foot towards City Hall, on the other shore, in Manhattan. The symbolism was clear: a new day begins, a new era for New York. "Our moment is now," said the banner he held alongside a Muslim woman, a Hindu woman, and Letitia James, the State Attorney General threatened by Trump. "May City Hall, with our compassion, conviction, and clarity, be the light that our city and our nation desperately need," he said to a small crowd. "Tax the rich", they responded. "Tax the rich!".