New Yorkers vote in mayoral primary as polls show Mamdani leading Cuomo

Leftwing Zohran Mamdami, 33, sees surging support in race with former governor for Democratic nomination

New York City mayoral candidate and Democratic State Representative Zohran Mamdani campaigns in New York City on April 16, 2025. Picture: ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

New Yorkers are headed to the polls on Tuesday in a primary election that is both likely to decide the city’s next mayor and have major political implications for the future of the Democratic party.

The race pits two drastically different Democrats against one another. Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist endorsed by the progressive wing of the Democratic party, is the main challenger to Andrew Cuomo, the former New York governor who has been backed by the party’s centrists and billionaire donors.