In the race for New York City mayor, early voting is in full swing with a huge turnout over the weekend.<\/p>\n
More than 160,000 New Yorkers have already cast their ballots and the candidates are not done campaigning as they look to deliver their closing arguments with just over a week to go until Election Day.<\/p>\n
Zohran Mamdani, the democratic mayoral nominee, shared the stage in Queens on Sunday night with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders.<\/p>\n
More than 10,000 people packed Forest Hills Stadium.<\/p>\n
“One of them was wearing a MAGA for Mamdani hat…” Mamdani said. “But that’s the beauty of the general election, is you learn that caring about the affordability crisis, looking to actually make life that little bit easier for New Yorkers.”<\/p>\n
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he feels the energy too — but he says it’s for him.<\/p>\n
At a senior center in Harlem on Monday, with a portrait of former President Barack Obama over his shoulder, Cuomo said the record early voting numbers are skewing his way.<\/p>\n
Voters ages 55 and older made up more than half of the turnout, which is a dramatic shift from the primary when voters 25 to 34 dominated.<\/p>\n
“In the primary the turnout was totally different than they thought,” Cuomo said. “Much younger and the younger vote was a much higher percentage.”<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, former Gov. David Paterson hinted he is set to endorse Cuomo, saying socialists have repeatedly mistreated the Black community.<\/p>\n
“They walk around as if they are going to be the saviors of the Black and Hispanic and other communities but they’re not,” Paterson said.<\/p>\n
Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa says what matters more than endorsements is that both of his opponents are soft on crime.<\/p>\n
“Andrew Cuomo, he’s the architect of no cash bail and Zohran Mamdani is his apprentice,” Sliwa said.<\/p>\n
Sliwa says Paterson won’t be changing any voters’ minds.<\/p>\n
“If I were Governor David Paterson who I know well, I would stop making an embarrassment of myself,” Sliwa said. “Because this guy can’t figure out one day from the next who he’s endorsing.”<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, when asked if the surge in older early voters is hurting his campaign, Mamdani said affordability – his campaign’s central theme – is major issue for them too.<\/p>\n
“Affordability is something that is robbing them of the ability to grow old in this city,” Mamdani said.<\/p>\n
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