“If the next mayor of New York City were decided on Instagram, it would already be a wrap. Celebrities are flocking to socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani. But one star is rooting for Cuomo.”, — write: www.dailymail.co.uk
Celebrities are flocking to socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani, who polls show is on track for a comfortable win on Tuesday.
Mamdani’s credibility took a major hit this week after it emerged he had lied repeatedly about having a Muslim aunt who was racially harassed in NYC after 9/11.
That didn’t stop Hollywood actor Pedro Pascal from urging his followers to vote for the Bronx-based politician this week in an Instagram Story.
Oscar-winning Lupita Nyong’o was also unfazed, calling it ‘an honor’ to cast her vote for Mamdani during an interview. Jewish actor Mandy Patinkin added his support, calling the frontrunner the ‘best NYC mayor imaginable.’
Despite pledging to crack down on the city’s top 1 percent of earners, many celebs have backed Mamdani since his shock primary win in June.
Model Emily Ratajkowski posted a video endorsing him while wearing a ‘Hot Girls for Zohran’ T-shirt. Other supporters include Cynthia Nixon, singer Lorde, Pitch Perfect actor Ben Platt, and SNL stars Bowen Yang and Sarah Sherman.
On the other hand, support for Mamdani’s opponent, former NYC mayor Andrew Cuomo, is much harder to come by.
Once the Democratic standard-bearer, Cuomo is now running as an independent after losing to Mamdani.
His only high-profile endorsement comes from disgraced director Woody Allen, who recently said on a podcast that Cuomo would do a ‘much better job .’
Despite his Oscar wins, Allen is hardly the endorsement Cuomo would want.
Cuomo is attempting a comeback after resigning over sexual harassment allegations, while Allen has faced similar accusations and controversially married his spouse’s daughter.
‘I’m gonna vote. I’m gonna vote for Cuomo,’ the 89-year-old lifelong New Yorker said on the ‘Honesty with Bari Weiss’ podcast in September.
‘I think Cuomo will do a much better job. Cuomo will be much better for New York. He’ll be much more efficient and he’ll be much more, he’ll just do a better job.’
Allen added that while Mamdani’s heart is in the right place, he lacks the experience to get things done.
A new Emerson College/PIX11/The Hill poll shows Mamdani has cemented a huge lead with five days to go.
The 34-year-old candidate holds a 25-point advantage over Cuomo, 50 percent to 25 percent, with Republican Curtis Sliwa at 21 percent.
Mamdani’s support has grown seven points since last month’s poll, while Sliwa gained 11 points.
Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said Mamdani’s lead is ‘built on a coalition across key demographics’ in the city, including increasing his lead with black voters.
Mamdani’s support among Black voters has risen from 50 percent in September to 71 percent, while Cuomo dropped 10 points.
Among voters under 50, 69 percent plan to back Mamdani. Early voters have also favored him, with 33 percent casting ballots for the socialist candidate.
Voters cited threats to democracy as the top issue in this year’s mayoral election (30 percent), followed by the economy (25 percent) and housing affordability (14 percent).
Mamdani’s lead has persisted despite a push from wealthy donors and conservative groups to derail his campaign.
Many high earners have begun moving out of the city in anticipation of his proposed policies, including plans to raise taxes on the wealthy.
‘There is no question that there are people who are hedging that in the event Mamdani is elected they will step out of New York,’ Douglas Elliman luxury realtor Frances Katzen told Daily Mail.
Luxury buyers are also hesitating on new apartment purchases. ‘Two weeks ago, I had a couple of buyers in the $3, $4 and $5 million price range — one I was selling a building to — who are no longer interested in buying,’ said realtor Jay Batra. ‘These people are not thrilled about the possibility of Mamdani winning.’