New Yorkers—Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist from Queens, is steamrolling the competition in the race for NYC mayor with a double-digit lead that’s got the old guard sweating.
According to Fox News, the November 2025 general election is shaping up to be a blockbuster, with Mamdani, fresh off a decisive Democratic primary win in June 2025, facing off against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, incumbent Mayor Eric Adams running as an independent, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, and another independent, Jim Walden.
Let’s rewind to June 2025, when Mamdani clinched the Democratic nomination over Cuomo and nine others with a campaign fueled by grassroots energy and endorsements from progressive heavyweights like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders. His focus on affordability and the city’s crushing cost of living struck a chord. And let’s not forget his TikTok game—reaching low-propensity voters where they scroll.
Now, Mamdani’s policy proposals are raising eyebrows on the right—free bus fares, tuition-free CUNY, rent freezes on municipal housing, free childcare up to age 5, and even government-run grocery stores. Sounds like a socialist wishlist that could bankrupt the city faster than you can say “subway delay.”
Meanwhile, he’s on a “Five Boroughs Against Trump” tour, sharpening his rhetoric against President Donald Trump, including a recent anti-Trump event on Staten Island on August 13, 2025. “My administration will be Donald Trump’s worst nightmare,” Mamdani declared last week. Bold words, but is this focus on national politics distracting from local potholes and crime?
On the other side, Andrew Cuomo, who resigned as governor in 2021 amid a flurry of scandals, is itching for a comeback. “I believe I beat the assemblyman,” he told Bloomberg News. Confidence is nice, Andrew, but polls from August 4-7, 2025, by Siena Research Institute show Mamdani at 37% to your 23%—a gap wider than the Hudson.
Cuomo spoke at a press conference in NYC on August 4, 2025, and has shown some openness to a plan by independent candidate Jim Walden. Walden’s idea? Survey in September 2025 to see who’s got the best shot at toppling Mamdani, with others stepping aside.
Cuomo’s half-in, saying he’d bow out if Adams leads in pre-election surveys, but Adams and Sliwa aren’t biting. Mayor Adams, who launched his independent re-election bid on June 26, 2025, snapped in a Politico interview, “The people who are running – they are harmful to our city and the progress we’ve made.” Sorry, Eric, but with just 7% in the polls, that progress might be in the eye of the beholder.
Curtis Sliwa, the Guardian Angels co-founder and Republican nominee for the second time, also scoffed at the dropout idea during a FOX Business interview. “This idea of everybody dropping out,” he said, arguing that debating issues would weaken Mamdani. Fair point—competition sharpens the blade, but at 12% support, Sliwa’s blade looks a bit dull.
The numbers don’t lie: Mamdani’s 37% towers over Cuomo’s 23%, Sliwa’s 12%, Adams’ 7%, and Walden’s unpolled but presumably modest share. A crowded field could hand Mamdani the win by splitting the opposition. Isn’t it time for some strategic thinking over stubborn pride?
Walden’s survey proposal might be the lifeline conservatives and moderates need to rally behind one candidate. But with egos this big, getting Adams or Sliwa to step aside feels like convincing a taxi driver to take a fare to Brooklyn during rush hour—good luck.
Mamdani’s campaign, meanwhile, keeps humming along with an energy that’s hard to ignore. His focus on affordability resonates with many struggling New Yorkers, even if his solutions lean heavily on government intervention—a tough pill for those of us who value free-market principles.
Still, there’s a real concern here about the direction of the city under Mamdani’s progressive agenda. Free everything sounds great until the tax bill lands, and New Yorkers already pay through the nose. Shouldn’t the conversation be about efficiency, not endless handouts?
Cuomo, Adams, and Sliwa need to decide if they’re running for principle or victory. If they truly believe Mamdani’s policies could steer NYC off course—and many on the right do—then consolidating support isn’t just smart, it’s necessary. The clock is ticking toward November 2025.
For now, Mamdani holds the cards with a lead that’s as undeniable as a Times Square tourist trap. But in politics, fortunes can shift faster than a subway car at rush hour. Will the opposition unite, or will they hand the keys to City Hall to a candidate whose vision might clash with the values of fiscal restraint and personal responsibility?
