A new poll released Tuesday shows former Governor Andrew Cuomo holding a lead in the crowded Democratic primary for New York City mayor — but the rapid rise of socialist Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani is sounding alarm bells among Jews, moderate Democrats, and party insiders.

According to the Siena College/AARP survey, Cuomo is the top first-choice pick with 34% support, followed by Mamdani at 16%. Though Cuomo ultimately defeats Mamdani in the ranked-choice projection — 64% to 36% in the final round — Mamdani’s growing base and the race’s volatility have sparked fresh anxiety among establishment figures.

Mamdani is a radical leftist who accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza, and has said he would have Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu arrested if he steps into New York City.

“There’s no denying Cuomo remains the frontrunner,” said Siena College pollster Don Levy. “But Mamdani’s strength as a second-choice candidate and his rising name recognition make this a race to watch — especially with 20% of voters still undecided.”

The ranked-choice format, which eliminates candidates round by round while redistributing their voters’ next preferences, shows Cuomo failing to break the 50% mark until the eighth round. By then, Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and former Comptroller Scott Stringer had already been eliminated. Comptroller Brad Lander, another progressive, topped out at 19% before being eliminated in round nine.

Mamdani — a Democratic Socialist from Queens closely aligned with the DSA — has been steadily chipping away at Cuomo’s early dominance. His performance in the polling has raised eyebrows, especially as concerns grow within moderate and business-friendly circles about the potential for a far-left candidate to win a citywide election.

“This should be a wake-up call,” said one Democratic strategist not affiliated with any campaign. “A socialist finishing second in early polling for New York City mayor? That would’ve been unthinkable a few years ago.”

While Cuomo maintains a lead, his campaign has not been without stumbles. On Tuesday, he was denied $2.7 million in public matching funds due to filing errors. The campaign also released a typo-ridden housing plan that drew ridicule, and misidentified two prominent union leaders while announcing their endorsements.

Still, Cuomo has notched key endorsements, including a significant one from the Hotel and Building Trades Council, a powerful union whose support signals institutional backing that could help shore up his position.

Meanwhile, the absence of incumbent Mayor Eric Adams from the Democratic primary field — he is pursuing a re-election bid via an independent ballot line — has left the race wide open and increased the stakes for the June 24 primary.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)