Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani leads former Gov. Andrew Cuomo by 10 points in New York City’s general election for mayor, while Mayor Eric Adams ranks lower than Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, according to a new independent poll.
Mamdani leads with 35% of voters, followed by Cuomo at 25%, Sliwa at 14%, Adams at 11% and independent candidate Jim Walden at 1%. But 13% of voters also remain undecided, presenting a possible opportunity for campaigns to pick up additional votes.
Polling firm Slingshot Strategies, which is unaffiliated with any candidate after working for Scott Stringer in the Democratic primary, spoke to 1,036 voters from July 2 to July 6. The results have a margin of error of 4.2 points.
The results could help inform Cuomo as he decides whether to mount an independent campaign. His name will appear on the “Fight and Deliver” ballot line in November, but he has yet to make clear if he will actively campaign.
A spokesperson from Cuomo’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The poll also shows Mamdani with a diverse range of voters. Though he has the greatest advantage among white, college-educated and female voters — continuing a similar pattern from the primary — he also leads among Black and Latino voters, with 35% and 45% of the respective vote.
Adams, who is Black, trails both Cuomo and Mamdani among Black voters at only 14%, mirroring his citywide numbers. His net approval rating is at -34, compared to Mamdani’s +4 and Cuomo’s -2.
Adams only performed better than Mamdani among Republican voters, with his 26% second only to Sliwa’s 43%.
A spokesperson for Adams’ campaign, Todd Shapiro, said in a statement to amNewYork that Adams has only begun campaigning and the poll did not capture the extent of his ground momentum.
“Let’s not forget: just weeks ago, Andrew Cuomo was ahead in multiple polls and then went on to lose the primary by double digits,” Shapiro said. “History is filled with similar polling failures — because polls don’t capture momentum, ground game, or the will of real New Yorkers who are only now tuning in.”
Cuomo and Adams, as well as prominent supporters of each, have been publicly encouraging the other to drop out in order to consolidate opposition against Mamdani, who they view as too far left for New York. Sliwa has also faced some pressure, including from fellow Republicans, to do the same.
The poll also shows a divide between New Yorkers with children in private versus public schools: Cuomo leads Mamdani by 14 points for families with children in private school, while Mamdani leads Cuomo by 13 for those attending public schools. The United Federation of Teachers, which represents New York’s public school teachers, endorsed Mamdani on Tuesday, citing his commitment to public schools.
The Slingshot Strategies poll mirrors recent numbers as Mamdani, who receives support from 47% of Democrats, looks to shore up support from skeptical Democratic Party leaders. In recent weeks, major unions — which are traditional Democratic power brokers — have backed him, particularly ones that supported Cuomo or remained neutral in the primary.
