NYC Mayor Archives - Queens Ledger

Yes, You Can Believe the Polls… Mostly

BQE Admin on October 16, 2025

Political Whisperer

By Robert Hornak

Robert Hornak is a veteran political consultant who has previously served as the Deputy Director of the Republican Assembly Leader’s NYC office and as Executive Director of the Queens Republican Party. He can be reached at rahornak@gmail. com and @roberthornak on X.

When you talk about election polls you hear many different responses. What many Republicans have been saying lately when it comes to the polls for the NYC mayors’ race is that they don’t believe the polls. And that’s a shame.

Polling is not intended to definitively predict the winner of an election, especially months before an election. What polls offer is a snapshot of what the electorate is thinking at that moment in time and insight into what each candidate needs to do to increase their voter appeal.

Candidates can look at these polls and find their strengths and weaknesses, then go about emphasizing their strengths while minimizing or adjusting for their weaknesses. That’s what campaigns are all about.

When this is explained, many people will push back, saying, well what about Trump? Well, if you look at the Trump polls, they were very interesting. In 2016, Trump was trailing Clinton the entire race. But as the election took shape, a phrase was coined in response to what the polls were showing. Voters related to Trump but were not saying they would vote for him. These were increasingly referred to as the hidden Trump voter.

And in the end, while Trump won the electoral college, he did lose the popular vote as the polls predicted.

The 2020 election is now the third rail of politics, but the polls showed Trump down and he ended up losing. And in 2024, Harris was up at the very beginning, but as she stumbled while responding to serious questions, the polls narrowed and Trump took the lead in many national polls and almost every swing state poll.

But for mayoral polling you can look no further than the 2021 election. The first polls that came out after Eric Adams won the primary showed Sliwa with under 30% of voter support. That was where he stayed the entire race, and that was where he finished on election day.

In the Democratic Primary this year, Cuomo was up early and expected to easily win. But that wasn’t where the polls stayed. As each month passed, Mamdani closed the gap, leading to many people questioning Cuomo’s strategy and commitment. As the election drew near the polls were showing a tight race, with two polls actually showing Mamdani pulling ahead.

Now, the polls have all consistently shown Mamdani leading in the 40’s. with Cuomo until recently in the 20’s, and Sliwa in the low teens. That has not changed significantly all through the summer and in the Quinnipiac poll after Adams dropped out, and it showed all his support going to Cuomo, propelling him up to 33% and just over ten points behind Mamdani.

This has clearly become a two- person race, but not between the two people that Sliwa supporters claim it’s between.

Sliwa’s campaign strategy has not changed since June, and neither have his poll numbers. In fact, he’s essentially running the same campaign he did in 2021 that got him 28% of the vote. Disappointed Republicans have gone to Cuomo in large numbers (many by way of Adams), leaving him with approximately half the support he had last time.

The polls have accurately laid out each candidate’s strengths and weaknesses by issue. Mamdani was very strong on a number of issues, like affordability. Cuomo was very strong on a number, like experience. Sliwa has not shown strong on a single issue, even on his signature issue public safety, where voter confidence for him is still weak.

Yes, the polls can be off. It requires an ability to accurately predict who will turn out to vote and asking the right questions from a scientifically random sample of voters. Campaign strategists are required to and often do it well.

The idea that they will be off, and consistently, by 30 points or more is silly to believe. This campaign has always been a race to 40% and Mamdani is in the catbird seat. Cuomo needs to win over Mamdani supporters to have a chance to beat him and be the one who finishes over 40%.

Political Whisperer: Mamdani Derangement Gripping NYC is Justified

BQE Admin on July 14, 2025

By Robert Hornak

It’s official, Zohran Mamdani’s primary win is unnerving many in NYC and dividing Democrats into two very distinct camps.

First are the Mamdani defenders. With Mamdani derangement syndrome appearing to overtake a majority of New Yorkers there is a sudden onslaught of opinion columns and social media posts aimed at trying to calm everyone down.

They are spinning the story that Mamdani isn’t so bad. Sure, he’s said some negative things about Israel, but that’s just politics they claim. When confronted on his belief system he responded saying that he is opposed to hate crimes and would allocate additional funds to fighting them. Of course, that’s not a denial but it was enough for many of his defenders to hang their hat on.

They are also claiming that all his proposals for free stuff are nothing new, they have either been done before or they’ve been campaigned on before but not enacted. While intended to be a ringing endorsement of the Mamdani agenda, claiming to be just more of the same failed policies that have brought NYC closer to the bad old days, and making this the city of exodus, driving out more people in search of a better life than anywhere else in the country, doesn’t seem like the best sales technique, but again, they need to say something to make him seem acceptable.

De Blasio enacted three rent freezes in eight years, and that worked out so well we saw rents hit all-time highs. So why not double down and push for a four year freeze? That should make things even better. Free buses? Well we already have discounts for certain riders, that’s the same as free for everyone, isn’t it?

Tax the rich? Well, that’s surely not a new one. But that is controlled by Albany, as even a new member of the Assembly should know. And, of course, that is the Democratic Party mantra, and they have successfully complicated the tax code to try to get more and more from the successful, with no amount ever seeming to be enough.

That leads to the argument that Mamdani may not fully align with traditional socialists, but rather adopts the label strategically. While he has made statements suggesting support for public control over certain industries—an idea rooted in socialist and even communist frameworks—that alone doesn’t necessarily make him a communist.

It’s easy to see how his rhetoric may come across as appealing or idealistic. But his critics argue that when a politician shares their worldview, it’s worth taking them at their word.

Concerns have also been raised about his positions on Israel. Critics point to his support for the BDS movement, which many believe unfairly singles out Israel. These decisions have drawn serious criticism and prompted questions about his broader worldview.

Proposals like free bus service, universal childcare, and rent freezes may not amount to full-fledged socialism, but critics argue they reflect a lack of fiscal planning and a limited roadmap for how to realistically move New York City forward. The cost of these initiatives remains largely unanswered, leaving doubts about their sustainability.

Then there’s the fact that Mamdani continues to embrace the label of “socialist,” and has publicly expressed views critical of extreme wealth, private property, and market capitalism. These ideas, while resonant with some progressive voters, are viewed by others as impractical or even concerning.

Some argue that dismissing Mamdani as merely holding controversial views on Israel or as a moderate progressive downplays the impacts of his rhetoric and policy positions. They believe his track record speaks for itself.

But he does have a warm smile and projects a youthful exuberance that many voters find attractive and they will ignore all the warning signs of the coming disaster for promises of free stuff delivered with a warm, engaging smile. Whether the enthusiasm is enough to outweigh skepticism about his policies remains to be seen.

Robert Hornak is a professional political consultant who has previously served as the Deputy Director of the Republican Assembly Leader’s NYC office and as Executive Director of the Queens Republican Party. He can be reached at rahornak@gmail.com and @roberthornak on X.

Pol position: Get His Name Right, It’s Mamdani

webadmin on July 3, 2025

Andrew Cuomo continues to get his name wrong, but Zohran Mamdani clearly thrashed Cuomo in the primary election for the Democratic Party for mayor last week. Cuomo called him ‘Mandani,’ as he conceded the election. Meanwhile mayor Adams refers to Mamdani as a ‘shake oil salesman’ who will say anything to win. The win for Mamdani was initially seen as a big boost for Mayor Adams, who is running on the independent line in November. People in the Democratic Party who don’t buy the ‘movement’ will now have Curtis Sliwa, Eric Adams and even Cuomo, who, as of now has not taken his name off the ballot. He had until last Friday to do so, and didn’t. The three are expected to split the vote for the more conservative leaning voters out there. If someone convinces Curtis to lose the beret’, he’s got a shot. The general election is not ranked choice, so their votes could cancel each other, leaving a no path to victory.

The shocking candidacy of Mamdani went from 2% in the polls to victory in just four months. We had Zorhan in our office for an interview quite early in the show and he unveiled his campaign logo to us. “What do you think,” he said. We think that whatever you did, it worked! What worked for Mamdani was his relentless work on the campaign trail, 24/7. We got reports from our readers that they saw him biking on Northern Blvd. in LIC, then two hours later he was walking in Maspeth. Biking in Brooklyn Heights and even hugging Cuomo supporters wearing ‘Vote Cuomo’ attire. Biking around the city is sure a new way of campaigning. Don’t think it’s going away anytime soon. He is an agent for change more than an agent of socialism.

Hanif Holds Seat in Slope

In Brooklyn’s Park Slope, Palestine supporter Shahana Hanif easily defeated challenger Maya Kornberg in that race. We noticed widespread support for Hanif, with posters on doors of homes and even inside apartment buildings throughout the district.

Prayers in Middle Village Race

This is something you will only read here; PS 49 in Middle Village is where all the contenders, Democrats and Republicans in the local council primary happen to be personally polling before heading to their respective election-night parties. We got word that each of them participated in a prayer “….. whoever wins,” was said, “we pray that we always think of this community we love, first.” Now that’s community solidarity. Hats off to those candidates. That’s precisely why the 30th remains a great area for people to live. The 30th district, also covering Maspeth, Ridgewood and Glendale happened to host the closest race throughout the city. The three-way race ended with all three, Phil Wong, Paul Pogozelski and Dermot Smyth, each getting about 30% of the vote. Wong had a slight edge after the first ballot. The ranked choice drop-down is in play.

Rajkumar Even Lost in Her Own ED

Most thought Assemblywoman Jennifer Rajkumar might give Jumaane Williams a run for his money for the public advocate’s race. Jumaane Williams had a decisive 80% of the vote and it was noted that the Queens Assemblywoman didn’t even beat him in her own Woodhaven, Richmond Hill Assembly district. You see, Rajkumar was that woman in the red dress in just about every picture Mayor Adams was in during the first two years of his mayoral bliss. In fact to some say it was even a bit creepy. We heard the chatter …. “Why is this red dress in every photo with the mayor?” Well it seems to some of our ‘undercover’ Albany trolls claim the red dress was always seeking higher office, not really paying too much attention to her district. Rumblings of a rival run for that Woodhaven Assembly seat is now in play.

Ramos Challenger

It seems another Queens Assemblywoman is looking to make a move. Assembly representative Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas is planning to look at a run for the State Senate seat currently held by Jessica Ramos. Ramos recently supported Cuomo for Mayor, which angered most on the left and sparked encouragement for a run against the Senator.

Mamdani Wants to be NYC’s Candyman not Mayor

BQE Admin on June 13, 2025

by Robert Hornak

It’s very fitting that Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year old assemblyman born in Uganda, is the child of a famous Hollywood director. He appears to be auditioning for the lead in a theoretical remake famous movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory rather than running for mayor of the biggest city in America.

Mamdani, a self-proclaimed “Democratic Socialist” has staked his candidacy on a laundry list of giveaways, essentially candy that he plans to give the people of NYC in exchange for their vote, candy that he could only make appear with the magic of Hollywood.

With the Democratic Primary less than two weeks away, Mamdani’s message has remained consistent. He plans to give away all of the following:

Free buses
Free childcare
City-owned grocery stores selling food at wholesale prices
Create a Department of Community Safety to “prevent violence before it happens.”
A freeze in rent while working to bring rents down
Build 200,000 new affordable, stabilized rental units
Plus, a crackdown on “bad” landlords.

He claims to know “exactly how to pay for it, too.” His brainstorm of original thinking is to, ready for it – raise taxes on corporations and the rich. Oh, and increase fine collection on landlords, the same people he plans to ask to build new housing that they won’t make any money from.

This agenda is only realistic in the make believe world of a Hollywood movie. Mamdani doesn’t have control over almost his entire agenda. He might as well be advocating for space exploration and Middle East peace. But I guess he plans to make developers, landlords, grocery store owners, corporations and high income individuals an offer they can’t refuse?

But all these ideas can be refused and have been in the past. This is not the first time these ideas have been proposed. The buses are run by the MTA, a state agency. The mayor has no direct control over them or what the fare is. He could propose a NYC takeover of New York City Transit, the division of the MTA that runs city buses and subways. But then the mayor will be fully accountable for its performance. Not a bad idea, but that’s not what he is proposing.

His free childcare proposal is to provide “free childcare for every New Yorker aged 6 weeks to 5 years” while lamenting that some women choose to stay home and raise their children rather than remain a taxpaying working in NYC’s infrastructure, while turning the raising of their children over to another worker who Mamdani pledges will be paid equivalent to NYC school teachers. And likely part of the union as well, expanding union leaders’ power and control over a long-broken educational system that, by the way, he has no plans to fix.

This same dissection can be done for every one of his proposals. City-owned grocery stores will put the thousands of existing grocery stores, convenience stores and bodegas out of business. Putting tens of thousands of workers out of work, from clerks to managers to owners.

Asking developers and landlords to build 200,000 new rental units that will be “affordable” while freezing the rent those same landlords can charge on existing units and aggressively fining them for every minor violation is not compatible. If developers can’t make money, they just won’t build rentals. It’s that simple. They are many other ways to increase supply to meet demand and try to stabilize the cost. Let’s also not forget the worst landlord in NYC is the city itself, with the worst conditions in public housing. But he has no plan to fix that either.

Creating a Dept of Community Safety is just code for defund the police. No matter how candy-coated you make that proposal sound, that’s all it is. We have real public safety issues to address, but he has no plan for that either.

And, of course, pay for it all by raising taxes. After they just finished telling us that tariffs are nothing more than a tax on business that raises the cost to consumers, Mamdani is proposing to raise the cost of goods and services on every New Yorker for everything they buy.

The role Mamdani is really suited for is the Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. He wants to entice us with his promise of sweets in a tempting ploy to trick us into an actual reality that traps everyone.

Pol Position: DOJ Halts Probe into Mayor – Lander on call

BQE Admin on February 11, 2025

Political pundits are having a field day after a directive came down Monday from the federal court delaying justice for Mayor Adams until after the November election. The case involves the pay-to-play schemes, the most reported involving getting an airline upgrade not so dissimilar to the one our bookie gets. But for Adams it’s a felony. He is in a position to influence decisions involving a great deal of money. In this case he is alleged to have used his influence to get a building’s occupancy status through some red tape. So the case, which was expected to be heard in court in April, looks like it is delayed until November.

There is no doubt that we should expect our elected and appointed officials in highly influential positions be beyond reproach when it comes to potential conflicts of interest. But it’s turned out, since the Trump DOJ case details were so public, a good number of people did conclude, in gunning for Trump, the DOJ was weaponized.

There were certainly those who voted for Trump who say a top reason is they didn’t like the idea that the courts could ‘go after’ a candidate for office they didn’t like. It’s hard to forget, the biggest reported crime was Trump paying someone off (with his own money) and not reporting it properly. Something many consider a petty misstep – at most.

This move, by the DOJ, to wait until after the election, evens the playing field. No excuses. If Adams doesn’t get past the primary in June, there are no excuses that his candidacy was derailed over a court case.

Cuomo the quiet one…

Notice Andrew Cuomo is silent on the Monday news. Smart. The earlier he comes out for his run for mayor, the more time he will be in the news for behavior that’s going to hurt him. While some of the more recent polls put Cuomo well ahead of the field, most believe that when people are reminded of the abuse accusations against him and that congestion pricing might have been pioneered by him while he was governor, he might lose double digit numbers in the polls. But Brad Lander, who paid a visit to our Woodside offices Friday (see our reports in this issue), was not shy about laying down comments after hearing the news, saying he (Adams) stands for ‘himself.’

Lander: Okay to involuntarily hospitalize mentally ill

One of our Pol Position staffers prodded Brad Lander to come to our offices last week and it was an insightful back-and-forth. While we pushed the current comptroller on a basic issue we have been writing about; local non-profit service providers having to wait more than a year to get reimbursed for service to our kids and others, it also seems some charter schools, who are running pre-k programs, are just getting paid now for the last school year ….. That’s the 2023-2024 school year. Although he said it wasn’t the fault of his office, what stood out to us is how he is toning down the rhetoric that public safety is not a big issue. He supports the idea of involuntary hospitalization of mentally ill lingering on the subway, while just a few years ago most on the left didn’t want to touch that subject.