By Bradley Tusk\New York Daily News
Photos: YouTube Screenshots
Of course it’s more fun when we have a competitive general election for the New York City mayoralty. And of course, the media will try to stir things up. But I just don’t think a competitive election will happen and Zohran Mamdani will win in November. Here’s why:
The Democratic nominee starts with a massive built in advantage.
People like winners, they like charisma and they like people who succeed unexpectedly. Mamdani is only going to add more supporters as the campaign goes on.
Mamdani will pick up the support of all of the major Democratic institutions like labor and most electeds. That will result in more money, more GOTV (get out the vote) and more energy.
Mamdani will raise a lot of money both locally and nationally from small donors, as will any super PAC supporting him. Outspending him will be difficult and a few hedge funders pledging a few million bucks to incumbent Mayor Adams doesn’t change that.
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s super PAC spent as much as $25 million attacking Mamdani already. Not only did it not work, it likely inoculated Mamdani from future attacks. Voters saw the attacks and they didn’t work. Hearing the same things again won’t change that.
….Adams is unpopular. Most polling has him in the teens for both favorability and reelect. There’s really nothing to change that other than the contrast with Mamdani, which already failed for Cuomo… READ MORE…
