As the New York City mayoral race enters its final days, thousands of people congregated in Forest Hills, Queens, on Sunday to rally for Democrat Zohran Mamdani, with a turnout that almost rivaled that of President Donald Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden nearly one year ago to the day.
Why It Matters
Mamdani, a New York assemblyman, is leading the polls against independent candidate Andrew Cuomo, the former governor of New York, and Republican Curtis Sliwa with a week to go until Election Day. The progressive candidate’s proposals include a rent freeze on rent-stabilized apartments and the establishment of a Department of Community Safety to increase spending on subway outreach and violence prevention.
Trump, who frequently boasts about crowd sizes at his events, staunchly opposes Mamdani. In September, the president said on Truth Social that he would withhold federal funding from New York City if Mamdani is elected mayor.
What To Know
Over 10,000 people gathered for Mamdani’s rally on Sunday at Forest Hills Stadium, an outdoor venue with a 13,000-person capacity. Joining Mamdani at the event were Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
While substantial, Mamdani’s crowd size was smaller than the campaign rally Trump held at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan in October 2024. The venue, which boasts a capacity of 19,500, was reportedly sold out.
Trump’s rally at Crotona Park in the South Bronx in May 2024, however, came under scrutiny due to conflicting reports on how large the crowd actually was.
The rally had a permit for 3,500 people, according to The New York Times, but Trump’s spokesperson, Steven Cheung, told Newsweek that 25,000 people attended.
Attorney and Trump critic Ron Filipkowski said on X at the time: “Right-wing media can hype this Bronx rally all they want. In a city of over 8 million people Trump drew 4,000 tops. That’s with a lot of people from out of state.”
MSNBC host Jonathan Lemire also reported that the crowd was about 7,000.
Previously, Trump averaged about 5,600 in attendance, suggesting a strong base of support for Mamdani within New York City based on crowd size alone.
What People Are Saying
Zohran Mamdani said at his Queens rally on October 26: “Andrew Cuomo, Eric Adams, and Curtis Sliwa do not have an agenda for the future. All they possess is the playbook of the past. They have sought to make this election a referendum not on the affordability crisis that consumes New Yorkers’ lives, but on the faith I belong to.”
New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said at Mamdani’s rally: “We must remember in times such as this: We are not the crazy ones, New York City. We are not the outlandish ones, New York City. They want us to think we are crazy. We are sane.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said on X: “New York City deserves a mayor who will stand up to Donald Trump and make life more affordable for New Yorkers. That’s @ZohranKMamdani.”
What Happens Next
Mamdani has continued to lead in recent polls for the upcoming mayoral election.
A CBS News/YouGov poll conducted from September 7 to September 13 put Mamdani 15 points ahead of Cuomo, 43 percent to 28 percent.
Meanwhile, a Marist survey showed Mamdani ahead by 45 percent to 24 percent, and a Quinnipiac poll gave him a 22-point lead at 45 percent to 23 percent.