(TJV) In a major development that has reshaped the New York City mayoral race, former Governor Andrew Cuomo has confirmed he will remain on the November general election ballot—just as a new poll shows him locked in a statistical tie with Democratic Socialist and Hamas sympathizer Zohran Mamdani.

Cuomo, who lost the Democratic primary to Mamdani earlier this week, declined to withdraw from the “Fight and Deliver” independent line ahead of Friday’s 5 p.m. deadline, as required by New York State election law. His decision, confirmed by campaign sources to The New York Post, comes despite pressure from some Democratic Party figures to step aside. Cuomo, however, is moving forward—and the numbers suggest he has every reason to.

A new poll conducted by the Honan Strategy Group shows Cuomo and Mamdani tied at 39% each in a five-way general election matchup that includes incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, and independent attorney Jim Walden.

Among 817 likely voters surveyed, Adams trailed badly with 13%, Sliwa received 7%, and Walden registered no measurable support. Just 2% of voters said they were undecided.

Cuomo appears on the ballot as the candidate of his “Fight and Deliver” line. Mamdani is listed on both the Democratic and Working Families Party lines, while Adams is running as an independent under the “End Anti-Semitism” and “Safe & Affordable” labels.

Despite conceding the primary on Tuesday, Cuomo’s decision to stay in the race comes as his favorability rating remains strong—56% favorable to 43% unfavorable, making him the only candidate in the field with net-positive public sentiment. Mamdani, by contrast, has a negative rating: 40% favorable to 48% unfavorable, with concerns over his radical record continuing to mount.

Cuomo’s strong polling performance is a major blow to the narrative pushed by the far left that his political career is over. Despite facing long odds and attacks from progressive activists, Cuomo remains highly competitive—and his presence on the ballot gives voters a clear alternative to Mamdani’s extreme, unworkable agenda.

Pollster Bradley Honan noted that Mamdani’s primary victory was fueled largely by so-called “surge voters,” many of them first-time or irregular primary participants. Whether that enthusiasm will hold in a general election remains to be seen.

Mayor Adams, meanwhile, faces collapsing public support. The same poll found that 67% of voters disapprove of his performance, while 75% believe he is corrupt and unfit to serve another term.

Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa remains a consistent presence in the race, drawing support from conservatives and crime-weary voters. Sliwa has dismissed Cuomo’s continued candidacy as “desperate” but declined to exit the race, rejecting rumors that he might be pressured off the GOP line in favor of Adams.

Here is our full report on Zohran Mamdani:
🔗https://t.co/Al8bTje6ib

— Canary Mission (@canarymission) June 20, 2025

Under state election law, candidates can only be replaced on the ballot under narrow circumstances—none of which apply to Cuomo or Sliwa. As a result, both men are locked into the race.

Cuomo’s move is widely seen as a rejection of the left-wing drift overtaking New York politics. After years of silence following his resignation, the former governor has reemerged as the only viable centrist voice in a chaotic and polarized race.

Ironically, many conservatives were in a state of total and complete panic with the idea of Cuomo staying in the race; this latest poll flies in the face of their fears.

The New York Post reported on the fallout, quoting political figures across the ideological spectrum who see Cuomo’s continued presence on the ballot as a major liability for centrist forces attempting to contain the rising socialist wave in city politics. “If Cuomo stays in the race he splits the anti-Mamdani vote and helps Mamdani,” warned Gerard Kassar, chairman of the Conservative Party of New York State and a longtime Dyker Heights political operative. “He’s playing the spoiler — 100 percent. He has no chance of winning and only takes votes from Adams.”

Adams, once viewed as a formidable centrist firewall against New York’s leftist insurgency, is now trapped in a crowded general election field that includes Cuomo, GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa, and independent attorney Jim Walden.

As The New York Post report outlined, the irony is palpable: Adams and Cuomo, bitter rivals with a history of icy relations during the COVID-19 pandemic, may now be competing for the same bloc of voters—moderates and Democrats disenchanted with the progressive turn within their party. With Mamdani consolidating the hard-left base and turning out younger, more radicalized voters, a fractured anti-Mamdani vote could make the general election a triumph of division rather than democratic consensus.