Socialist Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani continues to lead the New York City mayoral race, even as a majority of voters say they are turned off by his past anti-police stance, according to a new poll. The survey, conducted by American Pulse Research & Polling, shows Mamdani with 36.9% support among general election voters, compared to 24.6% for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, 16.8% for Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, and 11.4% for incumbent Mayor Eric Adams. Mamdani’s advantage over Cuomo has doubled in recent weeks, as the ex-governor’s numbers have collapsed following his Democratic primary loss. The poll notes that Mamdani’s record on policing could be his greatest vulnerability. A majority of respondents — 58.4% — said his previous support for defunding the NYPD and dismantling a strategic response unit made them less likely to back him. Nearly half of voters, 45%, described his policies as “too extreme.” When asked directly, more voters said they would choose “anyone else” over Mamdani by a margin of six points once informed of his anti-police statements. Mamdani has since walked back those positions, claiming he does not currently support cutting NYPD funding. Still, Mamdani’s opponents face their own uphill battles. Cuomo remains damaged by his record on bail reform, with 53% of voters saying they are less likely to support him because of the cashless bail law he approved as governor. Adams fares even worse: 68.7% said they are less likely to support him following the collapse of federal corruption charges. Both men hold high negative ratings — 55% for Cuomo and 65% for Adams. By contrast, Mamdani is the only candidate with a net positive rating, with 47.8% viewing him favorably against 43.6% unfavorably. Sliwa, though less unpopular than Adams and Cuomo, remains in third place with just 16.8% support. The poll suggests that Mamdani could be vulnerable if the race consolidates. Without Adams, Mamdani leads Cuomo 38.5% to 30.3%, with Sliwa at 23%. Without Sliwa, Mamdani edges Cuomo 38.3% to 32.3%, with Adams at 20.4%. Mamdani holds 48% of Democratic voters, while Sliwa commands 53% of Republicans. Both stand to gain if they can unify their bases. Another poll released Tuesday by Gotham Polling & Analytics/AARP also showed Mamdani in the lead, but indicated growing unease among voters over his record. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)  | Read More The Yeshiva World