Trump, immigration and Israel loom large over final days of NYC mayoral primary
NEW YORK (PIX11) — With just five days remaining until early voting begins in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor, candidates are focusing on President Donald Trump calling in the National Guard to deal with protests in Los Angeles.
Most anticipate dealing with a similar situation in NYC if elected Mayor.
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Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, once considered a longshot, has seen his campaign gain a lot of momentum in the last two months. Despite his rising profile, while greeting voters in Harlem, Monday, it was clear many New Yorkers are still feeling him out, including Mamdani's skepticism over Israel and the Jewish state's actions in Gaza.
Mamdani said he believes it is not Trump nor Israel that will come to define this race for the Democratic nomination, but affordability.
'We're the most expensive city in the country,' Mamdani said. 'New Yorkers care about whether they can afford rent, daycare, even their MetroCard.'
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo did not hold any public events on Monday following a busy weekend of meetings with religious groups, particularly Jewish New Yorkers.
Cuomo was a guest on a Bloomberg podcast and said he believed President Trump was overplaying his hand by calling in the National Guard.
'Create chaos in L.A., create chaos in New York, create chaos in Chicago—pretty soon, you create chaos in the nation, and that's bad for the economy,' Cuomo said.
Meanwhile, City Comptroller Brad Lander is among those emerging as an alternative to both Cuomo and Mamdani. On Monday, Lander held a press conference to outline his detailed plans for protecting immigrant communities and pushing back against President Trump's policies.
'We need a mayor who can do two things: stand up to Donald Trump on behalf of New York's values and govern the city more effectively,' Lander said. 'New Yorkers need both.'
With early voting set to begin on Saturday, the race is expected to heat up in the coming days. In particular, analysts are watching for any formal cross-endorsements between candidates.
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