Voters in New York participated in the primary elections for county and city positions on June 24. The event drew significant attention, particularly in New York City, where Zohran Mamdani emerged victorious in the Democratic primary. Mamdani, a New York State Assemblymember and Democratic Socialist, surprised many by defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo with 43% of the vote to Cuomo’s 36%. This result was unexpected as Mamdani had been trailing Cuomo in polls until just before the election.
The outcome leaves open the question of who will become New York City’s next mayor. The race could involve five candidates: Zohran Mamdani (Democrat/Working Families Party), Andrew Cuomo (Fight and Deliver), Eric Adams (End Anti Semitism, Safe & Affordable), Curtis Sliwa (Republican), and Jim Walden (Independent). These candidates have a few weeks to decide whether they will officially enter the race for mayor. The contest is expected to draw substantial attention and resources.
Beyond New York City, other key races took place across the state. In Albany, Dorcey Applyrs won the Democratic primary against three other candidates and will compete against Republican Rocco Perzzulo in November’s general election. Buffalo saw Sean Ryan defeat incumbent Mayor Chris Scanlon; Ryan will face Republican James Gardner later this year.
In Rochester, current Mayor Malik Evans secured his position by winning against two challengers from within his party. He will contend with Conservative Louis Sabo in the general election. Meanwhile, Sharon Owens claimed victory in Syracuse’s Democratic primary and will go up against Republican Thomas Babilon.
While local races are not endorsed or engaged by NFIB, they monitor outcomes closely to detect potential political trends that could influence statewide and Congressional elections set for 2026.
