Democratic socialist Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani has opened a commanding lead in New York City’s 2025 mayoral race, securing 42 percent support in an 11 August survey of registered voters. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent, trailed at 23 percent, with incumbent Mayor Eric Adams at 9 percent and Republican Curtis Sliwa at 17 percent. The poll, conducted by Siena College and reported by Newsweek, carries a margin of error of ±3.2 percentage points. The campaign’s ideological stakes sharpened after Adams attacked Mamdani’s proposal to decriminalize prostitution, saying he “don’t know where in his Quran it states that it’s OK.” The remark was widely criticised as religiously insensitive and underscored the increasingly personal tone of a contest already divided over policing, housing and taxation. Mamdani’s platform calls for a citywide rent freeze, higher taxes on residents earning more than $1 million, government-run grocery stores and free municipal buses. Business groups and centrist Democrats warn the agenda could spur an exodus of wealth and investment, while progressives hail it as a blueprint for affordability and social equity. Adding another wrinkle, Cuban-born technology investor Joseph Hernandez entered the race as an independent on 17 August. Positioning himself as the “polar opposite” of Mamdani, he has raised about $300,000 and promises to hire 10,000 additional police officers, expand the use of artificial intelligence in city services and revive ranked-choice voting for general elections. Political analysts say Mamdani remains the clear frontrunner, but stress that vote-splitting among multiple challengers could still reshape the field if any candidate gains momentum or national party leaders intervene ahead of the 4 November vote.