Andrew Cuomo has double digit lead over Eric Adams, other NYC mayoral competitors, Quinnipiac poll says

Former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has a double-digit lead in the New York City mayor’s race, according to the first public poll released since he joined the campaign for the Democratic nomination.

The Quinnipiac University survey registers Cuomo at 31% support, followed by Mayor Eric Adams at 11%. Coming in third is State Assemb. Zohran Mamdani, at 8%, followed by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams (who has not announced a campaign) at 7%, former Comptroller Scott Stringer at 6%, the current Comptroller Brad Lander at 5%, State Sen. Jessica Ramos and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (who hasn’t declared her entrance into the race) each at 4%, and State Sen. Zellnor Myrie, Michael Blake, and Whitney Tilson each at 1%. About 16% percent are undecided.

Over the weekend, Cuomo officially joined the race, seeking a political comeback three-and-a-half years after resigning the governorship amid scandals. His opponents have scoffed at his argument that the city is in crisis and needs to be saved. 

Adams has a record-low 20% job approval rating, according to the poll.

The Quinnipiac poll is one of the first independent polls of the race. Past polls have put Cuomo in first place, but they were aligned with partisan groups. His spokesman, Rich Azzopardi, declined to comment on the poll.

The poll was of 1,260 New York City self-identified registered voters, from Feb. 27 to March 3. The margin of sampling error is +/- 2.8 percentage points. Cuomo officially entered the race on March 1.

Cuomo in 2021 resigned the governorship over allegations he sexually harassed female, state employees. Also, an audit found he undercounted the deaths of nursing home patients with COVID-19, by ascribing the deaths to hospitals, and faced criticisms for an executive order early in the pandemic that required nursing homes to take back infected patients. He has denied all wrongdoing.