How NYC is shaping up to having the closest off-season election

In New York City, its mayoral election is brewing up to becoming the most competitive off-season election in the country as the political environment remains volatile.

Voting booths in NYC.

More New Yorkers than ever are upset of the current mayor Eric Adams due to his willingness to compromise with conservatives on some issues and also contradict many of the progressive policies which his constituents support.

In a contest to evict Adams from the mayor's office, many candidates have emerged in the Democratic field. Andrew Cuomo, the former governor of New York who resigned in disgrace after a sexual harassment allegation, has made a very significant challenge. Bringing up his previous experience as governor and other positions, he has attracted support from many establishment and moderate Democrats who want a return to the status quo, his governorship respectively. He has called for affordable housing and more effective municipal bureaucracy. Key leaders of the New York Democratic Party like Michael Bloomberg and Ritchie Torres have endorsed him.

1st NYC Mayoral Dem. Primary Debate, with Cuomo (far left) and Mamdani (second from right).

Having a solid shot of beating Cuomo is Zohran Mamdani, a Queens-made self-described Democratic Socialist who is currently a state assemblyman. Mamdani has called for significant reforms to the law enforcement system, freezing all applicable rent, making busing free and fast, and raising taxes on billionaires. Many young voters have shored up support for him as he continues to poll better and better each day, getting closer to surpassing Cuomo.

NYC Comptroller Brad Lander has made a quite solid showing in the latest polls, with him almost reaching double digits in the competitive pool. He has called for more affordable housing while bringing up his experience as comptroller. He has cross-endorsed Mamdani so that both could achieve the top two slots of ranked-choice voting.

Other candidates have flooded the Democrat pool. Adrienne Adams, speaker of the NYC Council, has garnered support among some Democrats who appreciate her long experience in municipal politics. Scott Stringer, the former comptroller before Lander, has achieved some support from the establishment who approved of the city during his term. And Whitney Tilson, an outsider having managed a hedge fund, had brought a more conservative perspective into internal Democratic politics.

Adams, fearing a loss in the primary, has decided to run as an independent in the general election. There he has achieved a lot of support, with around a quarter of New Yorkers supporting him in the polls.

Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels.

The Republican primary was far less competitive for its respective candidates. Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate for the 2021 Mayoral Election against Adams, won easily in an uncompetitive pool of nominees. He has been polling tied or higher than Adams while beyond both Cuomo and Mamdani in the general.

Jim Walden, an attorney, has so far led a quite surprising independent campaign like Eric Adams. He has been polling 6-7% in the polling, which is an overperformance for third-party candidates in any election. He has mimicked Michael Bloomberg's 2009 mayoral campaign as a moderate.

It is unsure who will win the general, as polls remain tight. This four-way race in the general, and competitive Democratic primary, could make this race the most competitive in over a decade for New York.