Journalism of Courage
The race for New York City mayor has become deeply tied to US President Donald Trump, whose name came up within minutes of Thursday’s debate between Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo.
When asked what headline he would like to see a year into his term, Democratic nominee Mamdani replied: “Mamdani continues to take on Trump, delivers an affordability agenda for New Yorkers.”
Trump has threatened to cut federal funding to New York if Mamdani wins, calling him a “communist.” Earlier this week, the president also suggested he might deploy the National Guard to the city if Mamdani becomes mayor, as he has sought to do in other Democratic-led cities.
Mamdani, a 33-year-old state legislator, has dismissed Trump’s threats but said he is willing to work with him on affordability. “He’s thinking about governing, right?” said Trip Yang, a Democratic strategist supporting Mamdani. “When you govern, you have to think a little differently than when you campaign.”
Cuomo, who is running as an independent after losing the Democratic primary, has taken a more cautious approach. He argues his long relationship with Trump could help him negotiate with the president.
“Andrew has positioned himself as less of a foil and more of a liaison,” said Basil Smikle, a Columbia University professor and former state Democratic Party director.
But some analysts say Cuomo’s closeness to Trump could hurt him. “There’s a difference between working with Trump and acquiescing to him,” said Christina Greer, a professor at Fordham University.
During the debate, Cuomo warned that Mamdani’s victory could make New York a target. “If the assemblyman is elected mayor, Donald Trump will take over New York City, and it will be Mayor Trump,” Cuomo said.
Mamdani countered that Cuomo was too close to Trump. “What New Yorkers need is a mayor who can stand up to Donald Trump,” he said.
A Quinnipiac University poll last month found that more than half of New Yorkers want the next mayor to challenge Trump, while only 37% prefer cooperation.
Mamdani leads Cuomo by 13 points among likely voters, according to a 9 October poll, with Republican Curtis Sliwa trailing far behind.
While Trump’s influence dominates the race, rising living costs remain a major concern. Mamdani has promised to freeze rents and make buses free, paid for through higher taxes on corporations and wealthy residents. Cuomo has called these ideas unrealistic, pointing to his experience on housing issues as a former US housing secretary.
(With inputs from Associated Press and Reuters)
