Mamdani holds double-digit lead over Cuomo in DDHQ average

New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani leads former Gov. Andrew Cuomo by 13 points in Decision Desk HQ’s (DDHQ) recently formed average tracking the race. 

The average, made up of a mix of independent and campaign-associated polls, shows Mamdani ahead in the five-candidate field with 38.1 percent support as of the most recent polling, followed by Cuomo, who is running an independent campaign after losing the Democratic primary, with 25 percent. Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa is in third with 15 percent support, followed closely by incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who is also pursuing an independent campaign, with 11.5 percent. 

Independent Jim Walden, a former assistant U.S. attorney, trails well behind in last with just more than 1 percent support. 

Mamdani has been in the process of coalescing Democratic support behind his candidacy after his upset win in the primary in June over Cuomo. Some top Democratic leaders have withheld their endorsement for Mamdani despite him being the Democratic nominee, and polling has shown Mamdani with less support than what would normally be expected for the Democratic nominee for mayor in the heavily Democratic city. 

But Mamdani’s support has been ticking up, while Cuomo’s support has been dropping. Mamdani has also picked up endorsements from New York Democrats including Reps. Jerry Nadler and Adriano Espaillat, the latter of whom backed Cuomo in the primary. 

The other candidates in the race have expressed concern about the possibility of splitting the vote among them in November and allowing Mamdani to win the general election. Cuomo has suggested that the candidates should unify behind whichever candidate is in the strongest position to face Mamdani in September. 

But Adams and Sliwa, who have consistently trailed Cuomo in polling for second place, have been adamant that they will not drop out.