Zohran Mamdani Ahead in Polls, Trump Attacks Him as ‘Communist’

Early voting has already begun in the New York mayoral election. The main voting will take place today, Tuesday, November 4. According to various polls up to yesterday, Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani is leading. In this situation, U.S. President Donald Trump has entered the field against Mamdani, calling him a “communist.”

Trump angry at Mamdani:
In an interview with CBS News on Sunday, President Trump said Mamdani is a “communist.” “He’s worse than a socialist,” Trump claimed. “We have a communist, he’s 33 years old. He knows nothing, probably never worked a single day in his life.” Trump warned that if Mamdani wins, it will be a problem for New York. He also threatened to cut funding for New York if Mamdani becomes mayor. “I’m not going to send much money to New York,” Trump said. “We will not let one of our great cities be destroyed. We will make it great again. We’ll clean up crime in about 30 days.”

Citing the example of Washington, Trump said the city was cleaned up in just 12 days. “We’ve already made great progress in these cities,” he added. “We don’t like opposition. If someone becomes the communist mayor of New York, it will be a mistake.”

Zohran’s campaign promises include affordable food, clothing, and housing for New Yorkers. On Saturday, former U.S. President Barack Obama called Mamdani, assuring him of advice and support if he wins. Mamdani’s spokesperson confirmed the matter.

Polls show Mamdani leading:
Born in Uganda to Indian immigrant parents, Mamdani is a Muslim. He is well ahead of his closest rival, former governor Andrew Cuomo, who faces allegations of sexual misconduct. After losing to Mamdani in the Democratic primary, Cuomo is running as an independent candidate.

According to a poll released Thursday by Emerson College/PIX11/The Hill, Mamdani leads Cuomo by about 25 points — Mamdani at 50%, Cuomo at 25%, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa trailing Cuomo by four points at 21%. Four percent of voters remain undecided. Mamdani’s support rose by 7% compared to last month, while Cuomo’s dropped by 3%, and Sliwa’s increased by 11%. The poll was conducted between October 25–27.

Mamdani has managed to expand his support among different communities. Among Black voters, his support rose from 50% last month to 71%. Among voters under 50, 69% support him; among those over 50, the numbers are: Mamdani 37%, Cuomo 31%, Sliwa 28%.

A Marist New York City poll showed Mamdani leading Cuomo by 16 points and Sliwa by 32 points. Among undecided voters, 48% favor Mamdani, 32% favor Cuomo, and 16% favor Sliwa. The poll was conducted between October 24–28.

Just before the election, Mamdani received support from an influential segment of the Jewish community in New York, though the endorsement has caused visible division among community leaders. Several top Jewish figures have expressed support for Cuomo instead.

Record early voting:
Ahead of the mayoral election, more than 735,000 people have cast early votes — the highest number for any non-presidential election in New York’s history. Sunday was the last day for early voting, with about 151,000 people casting ballots that day — the highest single-day early turnout since early voting began. Moreover, turnout among voters under 35 was notably high.

Source: BBC & Reuters