A new poll shows Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani and former Governor Andrew Cuomo closer than many New Yorkers initially thought, but only if Sliwa drops out
As the race for New York City mayor approaches toward the November 4 finish line, moderate Democrats and Republicans are increasingly split over how best to defeat Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani. A recent poll has revealed how intense the situation has become.
According to an AARP and Gotham Polling survey, Mamdani leads with 43.2% of support, while former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo trails at 28.9% and GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa at 19.4%. However, in a scenario without Sliwa in the race, Cuomo could reportedly close the gap: Mamdani at 44.6% versus Cuomo at 40.7%, putting the outcome within the poll’s 4 point margin of error.
The numbers have garnered important discussions among Republican strategists who fear Sliwa is enabling Mamdani’s path to victory. Many New Yorkers have stated (because of the current polling), “a vote for Sliwa is a vote for Mamdani,” even if they personally agree that Sliwa is the better choice. GOP billionaire and Sliwa’s longtime friend and boss, John Catsimatidis, even publicly urged the founder of the Guardian Angels to withdraw from the race to help Cuomo win.
Former NY Governor Cuomo has framed the race as a chance to defeat Mamdani’s “ far-left progressive agenda,” noting that younger voters and progressives are pulling strongly toward Mamdani. Meanwhile, AARP notes that older and more moderate voters continue to favor Cuomo. “I want to say to your Republican listeners: Vote like a New Yorker. Don’t vote like a Republican. A vote for Curtis is a vote for Zohran. Vote like a New Yorker and stop Zohran,” Cuomo said on 77WABC Radio, expressing the importance of voting in this particular election.
Some GOP members argue that Sliwa must stay to represent Republican values, while others worry it’s a losing strategy that hands the race to Mamdani. Billionaire Bill Ackman has been a vocal supporter of Sliwa dropping out, even citing that Mamdani’s camp is actively trying to keep him in the race as a campaign strategy. Sliwa has publicly stated that he won’t back down, and it’s presumptuous to assume his supporters would vote for Cuomo. Los Angeles reached out to Sliwa’s team for comment, but have not heard back yet.
The @ZohranKMamdani campaign is actively working to keep @CurtisSliwa in the race.
— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) October 20, 2025
With early voting around the corner and the final mayoral debate scheduled for October 22… one question remains: Will Sliwa step aside and begrudgingly endorse Cuomo? Or will Mamdani win by default?