Zohran Mamdani holds a strong position heading into the general election as opposition splinters and momentum builds behind him. The anti-Mamdani movement has lost force, and key labor unions and a portion of ex-Cuomo backers have shifted to his side. Several major Democratic leaders have not endorsed him, but a significant coalition of local powerbrokers and unions provides organizational strength and fundraising capacity. Polls and prediction markets currently show him with a substantial lead. Past scenarios suggested a narrow victory could have enabled an independent Cuomo campaign and heavy outside spending, but that threat has diminished.
When Zohran Mamdani was battling Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic mayoral primary, it was an open question whether the young socialist, if he managed to win, could survive a general election. A narrow victory, for example - like Eric Adams's 2021 win over Kathryn Garcia - would not only have emboldened Cuomo to run as an independent, as he's doing now; it would also have allowed him to rack up significant endorsements.
Instead, the anti-Mamdani movement is fizzling, and the 33-year-old assemblyman, despite a campaign schedule that hasn't yet matched the aggressiveness of his primary approach, is well positioned to win. Much of this is a testament to Mamdani's own talent, the margin he won by in the primary, and his ability to mend fences behind the scenes. Though plenty of Democratic elites haven't endorsed Mamdani - Governor Kathy Hochul, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have stayed on the sidelines -
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