By: Justin Winograd

In a development that has sent ripples through New York City’s political landscape, former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s mayoral campaign announced on Wednesday that the latest Quinnipiac University poll shows the race shifting sharply in his favor just one month before Election Day. The new data, according to campaign officials, suggests a decisive realignment of voter sentiment across the five boroughs—one that could turn the once-fractured field into a head-to-head contest between Cuomo and his progressive rival, Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani.

“Today’s Quinnipiac poll confirms what New Yorkers are seeing across the five boroughs — this race is shifting decisively,” Rich Azzopardi, spokesperson for the Cuomo for Mayor campaign, said in an official statement. “Andrew Cuomo is up 10 points since September, while Zohran Mamdani remains stagnant and Curtis Sliwa continues to fade away.”

Azzopardi’s statement struck a confident, almost declarative tone—one that reflects the growing optimism within Cuomo’s campaign headquarters. After months of methodical outreach, strategic endorsements, and relentless messaging centered on competence and safety, Cuomo’s team now appears to see the election as a two-person contest between a veteran executive and an insurgent socialist.

The Cuomo campaign has positioned the former three-term governor as the steady hand capable of restoring order, economic vitality, and civic unity to a city fatigued by ideological polarization and post-pandemic recovery struggles. In his statement, Azzopardi emphasized Cuomo’s record of tangible results during his decade in Albany—pointing to projects such as the rebuilding of LaGuardia Airport, revitalization of the MTA, expansion of affordable housing, and public safety initiatives aimed at lowering crime rates across New York City.

“As voters learn more about the stakes and Cuomo’s record of results… they are rallying behind proven leadership,” Azzopardi said. “With one month to go, a surge in fundraising, endorsements, and volunteers, momentum is building—with more to come.”

Sources close to the campaign describe a renewed sense of focus, noting that Cuomo’s ground game—largely underestimated early in the race—has gained momentum as neighborhood rallies and televised town halls have drawn large and increasingly diverse crowds. His campaign’s messaging has also sharpened, contrasting Cuomo’s “experience and effectiveness” with what it calls Mamdani’s “ideological division and inexperience.”

For Cuomo, the Quinnipiac poll represents more than just favorable numbers—it’s validation of a political comeback few analysts anticipated when he entered the race. Once counted out following his 2021 resignation amid controversy, Cuomo has rebuilt his public profile through disciplined appearances, issue-driven speeches, and an emphasis on governance over grievance.

The Quinnipiac data reportedly shows Cuomo’s support climbing by 10 percentage points since September, while Mamdani’s numbers have held steady and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa’s support has slipped to the single digits.

Political observers note that Sliwa, who performed well in outer-borough neighborhoods earlier in the campaign, has struggled to maintain visibility amid rising Democratic enthusiasm and Cuomo’s crossover appeal to moderate and independent voters. “Cuomo has effectively repositioned himself as the competent centrist in a race that’s increasingly polarized,” one Democratic strategist told the New York Post. “He’s capturing voters who may not love him, but who trust him to get things done.”

The Cuomo-Mamdani divide has crystallized into one of the most ideologically charged contrasts in modern New York City politics. Mamdani, a self-described Democratic Socialist, has championed policies such as free public transit, defunding the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group, and expanding public housing through city ownership—positions that have galvanized progressive activists but alienated moderates and business leaders.

Cuomo’s campaign has capitalized on that contrast, framing the election as a referendum on competence versus ideology. “The choice could not be clearer,” Azzopardi said. “Experienced, effective leadership that delivers for all New Yorkers, or ideological division and inexperience.”

While Mamdani’s movement-driven campaign has drawn large college and activist turnouts, recent fundraising disclosures show Cuomo’s operation dramatically outpacing his rival in donations and endorsements from union leaders, civic groups, and business associations.

According to multiple reports, Cuomo’s message of “proven results” has resonated especially strongly among middle-class voters in Queens, Staten Island, and southern Brooklyn—demographics that typically decide citywide elections.

As the campaign enters its final month, Cuomo’s team is banking on momentum—and organization—to carry him over the finish line. Cuomo’s operation has expanded its field presence across all five boroughs, with hundreds of new volunteers joining in the past two weeks.

“Cuomo’s numbers aren’t just improving—they’re accelerating,” one Democratic pollster familiar with the Quinnipiac data said. “If the trajectory holds, he could be within striking distance of a clear first-place finish, possibly avoiding a runoff.”

The campaign’s tone in recent days has reflected that optimism. Cuomo’s speeches, once cautious and introspective, now project confidence and urgency. “New York City doesn’t need slogans,” he told a crowd in Forest Hills last weekend. “It needs solutions. I’ve built airports, repaired subways, expanded housing, and reduced crime. I don’t talk about change—I deliver it.”

Despite his complicated legacy, Cuomo’s supporters argue that his executive record remains unmatched. They point to his stewardship during crises such as Hurricane Sandy, his infrastructure revitalization efforts, and his ability to secure bipartisan legislative agreements as proof of his capacity to govern effectively.

“Cuomo represents stability,” said political analyst Dr. Rebecca Klein in an interview with The New York Post. “Even among voters who have reservations about his past, there’s a recognition that he knows how to run government—and in this environment, that matters more than ideological purity.”

The Quinnipiac numbers appear to reflect that sentiment. While Mamdani has dominated among younger progressives and university precincts, Cuomo is reportedly leading among older voters, working-class families, and minority communities in the Bronx and Brooklyn—coalitions that often decide New York elections.

Ultimately, the 2025 mayoral election has become more than a contest of personalities; it has evolved into a clash of visions for New York’s identity and direction. Mamdani’s campaign speaks to a city yearning for radical transformation and social equity; Cuomo’s pitch is to a city seeking recovery, pragmatism, and renewed confidence in leadership.

For the former governor, the stakes could not be higher. Victory would mark one of the most remarkable political rehabilitations in modern American politics—a return from the political wilderness to the heart of the city he once governed from Albany.

“The path is now clear,” Azzopardi concluded in his statement. “This is a two-person race between Andrew Cuomo and Zohran Mamdani. New York City’s future is on the line — and Andrew Cuomo is the candidate ready to lead.”

As Election Day nears, that message—delivered with characteristic discipline and growing momentum—appears to be resonating with voters who may have once doubted whether Andrew Cuomo could ever make a political comeback. The latest numbers suggest that, at least for now, the city’s mood is shifting—and the man who once ran New York State may yet find himself running New York City.