New York's Mayoral Race: Why Mamdani Has to Beat Cuomo Twice

New York's Mayoral Race: Why Mamdani Has to Beat Cuomo Twice
Photo retrieved from Wikimedia Commons under a Creative Commons license.
Published: 30 Jun, 2025
1 min read

Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani defeated establishment favorite Andrew Cuomo for the Democratic nomination in New York's mayoral race, marking a clear victory for the party’s progressive wing.

The primary used ranked choice voting, which encouraged coalition-building, drove record turnout, and notably reduced negative campaigning.

But thanks to New York’s fusion voting system, Cuomo has secured a spot on the general election ballot, giving him one more shot at defeat in what promises to be a far more chaotic, crowded, and contentious race.

In this episode, Dan and Shawn break down the electoral reform car crash happening in real time, how these voting systems shaped campaign behavior, and what the race reveals about the Democratic Party’s ongoing attempts to contain its ascendant left wing.

You Might Also Like

Fraud in NYC Mayoral Election?! Why Zohran Mamdani Appeared Twice on Ballots
Fraud in NYC Mayoral Election?! Why Zohran Mamdani Appeared Twice on Ballots
Zohran Mamdani’s name appeared twice on the New York City mayoral ballot?! No voter ID?! Eric Adams appeared on the ballot despite dropping out?! Andrew Cuomo’s name appeared last?! An election rigged against Cuomo?!...
04 Nov, 2025
-
5 min read
The Most Disliked Candidate in the NYC Mayoral Race Isn't the Republican
The Most Disliked Candidate in the NYC Mayoral Race Isn't the Republican
The New York City mayoral election has drawn national attention in a way voters haven’t seen in modern history. This is because Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, 33 and a self-described democratic socialist, is poised to win based on the latest polling....
27 Oct, 2025
-
5 min read
Adams and Cuomo Power Players Play Chicken With New York Elections
Adams and Cuomo Power Players Play Chicken With New York Elections
NYC Mayor Eric Adams and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo are currently playing a game of chicken with each other – leveraging the city’s electoral system to pressure the other to quit the race. The question is: Who will blink first? Or… are they headed for a collision?...
14 Jul, 2025
-
4 min read
5 Influential Forces in NYC that Threaten the Success of Open Primaries
5 Influential Forces in NYC that Threaten the Success of Open Primaries
New York City’s Charter Revision Commission (CRC) is considering a proposal to adopt a nonpartisan “Top Two” open primary system, which would allow the city’s 1.1 million independent voters to cast a ballot in primary elections they pay for....
14 Jul, 2025
-
13 min read
Knives Come Out Against Reform at NYC CRC Hearing as Independents Rise
Knives Come Out Against Reform at NYC CRC Hearing as Independents Rise
Last week in Staten Island, the NYC Charter Revision Commission held its next-to-last public hearing. As Commissioner Diane Savino commented, addressing NYC's closed primary system “is the single biggest issue we’ve heard this year.”...
30 Jun, 2025
-
3 min read
On Primary Day, NY Orgs Picket on Behalf of 3.5 Million Disenfranchised Voters
On Primary Day, NY Orgs Picket on Behalf of 3.5 Million Disenfranchised Voters
Much of the election coverage on Tuesday focused on the New York primaries, especially in NYC and the hotly contested ranked choice election for mayor. What got less attention, however, were the 3.5 million independent voters in the state locked out of elections they paid for....
25 Jun, 2025
-
4 min read