Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic-Socialist nominee and polling frontrunner in New York City’s mayoral race, struggled to lift a 135-pound barbell during a bench-press demonstration at the annual Men’s Day open-streets festival in Brooklyn on Saturday. Video and photographs published by the New York Post show the 33-year-old requiring a spotter’s full assistance to complete two repetitions. The footage spread quickly online and was seized on by political rivals, who portrayed the failed lift as a metaphor for the candidate’s readiness to govern. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, 64, released a side-by-side clip highlighting his own successful attempt with the same weight, quipping that “the weight of the job is too heavy for ‘Mamscrawny.’” Mamdani’s campaign has not commented on the episode. The incident comes as Mamdani maintains a significant lead in public polling. An AARP survey conducted this month put him at 42% support, ahead of former Governor Andrew Cuomo with 23%, Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa at 17% and Adams at 9%. The primary election is scheduled for November.