【By Observer Net, Xiong Chaoran】With the New York City mayoral election approaching, President Donald Trump is worried as Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani's poll support has opened up a double-digit lead over the second place.

On local time November 3, Trump posted on social media: "Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you have no choice. You must vote for him and hope he does an excellent job." He added that Cuomo "has the ability to do it," while Democratic candidate Mamdani "does not have this ability."

In fact, after losing the Democratic primary, Cuomo continued to run as an independent candidate, but he is still a Democrat, and had been in conflict with Trump during the pandemic. However, CNN pointed out that on the eve of this election, Trump used the strongest language so far to urge New Yorkers to vote for former New York State Governor Cuomo in the race for New York City Mayor.

Trump, who was born in Queens, New York, has long criticized 34-year-old "democratic socialist" Mamdani and mistakenly called him a "communist." Trump has vowed that if Mamdani wins the election on local time November 4, he will withdraw federal funding for New York City, leaving only the minimum necessary funding.

Local time October 22, 2025, New York City mayoral candidates' debate, independent candidate Cuomo, Republican candidate Sliwa, and Democratic candidate Mamdani participated. IC Photo

CNN noted that Trump's support for Cuomo, saying he has "outstanding achievements," may benefit Cuomo by gaining Republican support, but could also harm his support among Democratic voters in a city where Democrats dominate.

The report said that Cuomo's "history" with Trump goes back to when he was governor of New York before resigning in 2021 due to sexual harassment allegations. During the pandemic, the two often clashed in press conferences, attacking each other. However, Cuomo sees his history with Trump as an advantage, claiming Mamdani lacks experience to deal with Trump.

Previously, Trump's support for Cuomo wasn't strong, describing the New York City mayor election as "a choice between the better of two bad options," and also dismissing Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.

"I don't like Cuomo, nor do I like him (Mamdani), but if I have to choose between a bad Democrat (Cuomo) and a 'communist' (Mamdani), honestly, I always choose the bad Democrat." In a CBS broadcast of "60 Minutes" on local time November 2, Trump said.

Additionally, Trump advised voters not to support fellow Republican Sliwa, but did not explicitly ask the Republican candidate to drop out like other Cuomo supporters.

"The vote for Curtis Sliwa (who looks much better without the beret) is actually a vote for Mamdani." Trump wrote on social media, seemingly implying voter "strategic voting."

According to the report, current polls targeting potential voters show consistent results, indicating that Mamdani leads Cuomo by a double-digit margin, while Sliwa is in third place. Although the polls vary in the extent of Mamdani's lead, most show that he has yet to surpass half of the support.

Photo: Cuomo and Mamdani IC Photo

As an ally of Trump, billionaire Musk publicly supported Cuomo rather than Mamdani and Sliwa on local time November 3. "Remember, a vote for Curtis (Sliwa) is actually a vote for Mamdani or someone else's name," Musk wrote on social media platform X.

In the Democratic primary held on June 24, New York state representative Mamdani unexpectedly defeated former New York State Governor Cuomo, becoming the Democratic nominee for New York City Mayor. Afterward, Cuomo announced he would continue to run as an independent candidate.

Mamdani was born in Uganda, moved to New York with his family at age seven, and his parents are Indian. He is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) organization and has been a state legislator since 2021. The Associated Press noted that if Mamdani is elected Mayor of New York, he would become the first Muslim and Indian-American and the youngest mayor in New York City's history.

Bloomberg reported that since winning a decisive victory in the party primary, Mamdani has attracted more national attention.

He has consistently criticized income inequality in New York, the global financial center, and defended his condemnation of Israel's policies, including the Gaza war, which is a traditional campaign issue in New York City. However, he refuses to condemn the slogan "Global Uprising," which has offended many Jewish communities.

Regarding Trump calling him a "communist," Mamdani also retaliated against Trump, refusing to accept the label. "I call myself a 'democratic socialist.'" He also described Trump's statement as a distraction. He said, "I've had to start getting used to the fact that the president will eventually talk about my appearance, my voice, where I'm from, and who I am."

According to the report, late on local time November 3, Mamdani responded to Trump's statements supporting Cuomo at a campaign event in Queens, New York.

"Support for Andrew Cuomo by the MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement reflects that Donald Trump believes Cuomo is the best mayor for him, not the best mayor for New York City, not the best mayor for New Yorkers, but the best mayor for Donald Trump and his administration," Mamdani said.

On local time November 4, the first-largest city in the United States, New York City, will hold its mayoral election. According to reports, the New York City Board of Elections stated that over 580,000 voters had already made their choices before the official voting day. Currently, three candidates - Democratic Mamdani, independent candidate Cuomo, and Republican Sliwa - are making a final sprint.

This article is exclusive to Observer Net, and any reproduction without permission is prohibited.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7568703628133450255/

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