New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has seen growing favorability among New Yorkers following an eventful summer marked by his preferred candidates securing primary wins, the implementation of campaign-promised policies, and a New York Knicks championship.
According to a new poll from Siena College, 58% of New York City residents have a favorable opinion of Mamdani, while 26% have an unfavorable opinion. The polling from June saw more respondents approve of Mamdani compared to April, which saw a 56%-34% split.
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As for the whole of New York, Mamdani also saw an increase in favorability as 45% of New York residents have a favorable opinion of the mayor, compared to 34% with an unfavorable opinion. In April, Mamdani’s favorability sat at 43%-40%.
Mamdani is coming off a hot summer, which saw New York socialist candidates endorsed by the mayor securing Democratic nominations over incumbents and moderate liberals in several House races across the state. Former city Comptroller Brad Lander beat out incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman; community organizer Darializa Avila Chevalier defeated Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Adriano Espaillat; and Claire Valdez secured a win over Brooklyn borough president Antonio Reynoso to win the Democratic nomination for an open seat in the 7th Congressional District.
Additionally, Mamdani announced a 30% discount on staple items at future city-run grocery stores in each of the city’s five boroughs. Mamdani’s promised rent freezes were also approved by the Rent Guidelines Board in June, pausing rent increases on both one-year and two-year leases.
The mayor also balanced the New York City budget by using subsidies from the state and accounting maneuvers to reach an agreement that sacrificed some of his more costly promises. The city’s deficit had been expected to reach $12 billion over the next two years.
The socialist mayor has also faced policy struggles in recent weeks. As part of a campaign promise, Mamdani moved to implement a pied-a-terre tax for residents who own second homes, but the policy launch was lackluster.
The mayor published a list of names and addresses of over 960,000 homeowners who his office said could face the non-primary-residence tax. A judge later ordered City Hall to take down the list exposing the information of New York City homeowners and temporarily restrained the Mamdani administration from taking further action based on letters it sent to roughly 17,000 property owners on the impending tax.
The judge’s order also barred the city from imposing or collecting the surcharge on homeowners or sending a notice without first making the individualized determination and providing the notice required under state tax law. Mamdani has since said he will appeal the ruling and promised his office will “diligently” implement the pied-a-terre tax.
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While Mamdani has widened his margin of favorability among New York voters in general, many Jewish New Yorkers remain skeptical about his leadership. Mamdani has been an outspoken opponent of Israel and prominent Jewish figures, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which has thrown a wrench into his relationship with the Jewish community.
A group of 10 reform, conservative, and modern Orthodox rabbis met with Mamdani this week and urged the mayor to turn down the temperature on anti-Israel rhetoric. Mamdani has attempted to deflect criticism that he perpetuated antisemitism.
