Mamdani Surges Ahead: Double-Digit Lead in NYC Mayoral Polls

New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani now holds a 13-point advantage over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, according to the latest polling average compiled by Decision Desk HQ’s (DDHQ) for the race.
Polling Average Highlights Mamdani’s Lead
The average, which factors in both third-party and campaign-conducted polls, puts Mamdani ahead in the five-person contest with 38.1% backing. Cuomo, running as an independent after his loss in the Democratic primary, trails at 25%.

Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa is in third place with 15%, followed by sitting Mayor Eric Adams—who is now running as an independent—at 11.5%. Jim Walden, an independent and former assistant U.S. attorney, is in fifth, garnering just over 1% of the vote.
Mamdani Builds Support Base
This marks a shift from earlier surveys that indicated a smaller lead for Mamdani, who faced skepticism about his ability to consolidate Democratic support in the predominantly liberal city. Since defeating Cuomo in the primary in June, Mamdani has made efforts to bring the party together, though some party figures still haven’t endorsed him.

Recently, support for Mamdani has grown steadily as Cuomo’s numbers decline. Notably, Mamdani has added influential endorsements—including those from Rep. Jerry Nadler and Rep. Adriano Espaillat, the latter a former Cuomo supporter.
Opposition Remains Divided
Concerns among Mamdani’s rivals center on the risk of splitting the anti-Mamdani vote in the November general election. Cuomo has called for candidates to unite around the strongest challenger by September.

However, both Adams and Sliwa, who remain behind Cuomo in recent polls, have dismissed the prospect of stepping aside, signaling the likelihood of a fragmented opposition vote.

With Election Day less than three months away, the five-person race is emerging as a measure of coalition strength and base loyalty. The trends suggest Mamdani may be outpacing his opponents—making the case that he is the leading candidate in the eyes of New Yorkers.