Mayoral candidate says New Yorkers have “buyer’s remorse” over Mamdani

Independent New York City mayoral candidate Jim Walden said Saturday during an interview appearance on Fox News that people have “buyer’s remorse” after voting for Zohran Mamdani in last month’s Democratic primary.

Socialist democrat Mamdani, who represents New York’s 36th Assembly District, scored a decisive victory in the primary, winning 56.4 percent of the vote to give him a 12-percentage point over former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. However, a HarrisX poll that was published this week suggests that some of that support may be slipping.

Why It Matters

New York’s mayoral race is being closely watched as a potential litmus test for the direction of the Democratic Party, which is still struggling to recover after its defeat in last year’s election.

Mamdani’s surprising primary win reflects a growing appetite for left-leaning economic populism and signals a major shift within the party. While some believe his success could act as a potential blueprint for Democrats seeking to reconnect with urban and working-class voters, it has also exposed deep internal divisions, with establishment leaders like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries refusing to unify behind the candidate, wary of alienating moderates.

What To Know

During a Saturday morning appearance on Fox News, Walden who is currently polling in last place in the New York City general mayoral race with 1 percent, blamed the Democratic Party for Mamdani’s success in the primary.

“My understanding is that a lot of people have buyer’s remorse because the Democrats did a terrible job on opposition research during the primary,” he said.

The HarrisX poll, released Tuesday, shows Mamdani barely leading the pack of candidates in the race.

The poll shows Mamdani, with 26 percent of the vote, in a tie with Cuomo who has 23 percent. Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa has 22 percent and current NYC Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent and who has faced multiple scandals since being in office, sat at 13 percent.

In HarrisX’s poll, a three-way race without Adams, Cuomo (31 percent) is statistically tied with Mamdani (29 percent) and Sliwa (28 percent). However, in a three-way race without Cuomo, Mamdani leads by 10 points, winning 35 percent to Sliwa’s 25 percent and Adams’ 19 percent.

In head-to-head matchups, Mamdani topples Adams 43 to 36 percent, but trails Cuomo 35 to 50 percent.

The poll surveyed 585 registered New York City voters online between July 7–8. The margin of error is ±4.1 percentage points. HarrisX said it conducted the survey before Cuomo announced that he’s running as an independent in the general election.

Walden addressed the fears that multiple independent candidates could split the vote, allowing Mamdani a clear path to victory. The lawyer said that, when the general election comes, all the independents, aside from the frontrunner, should drop out to allow them to run directly against Mamdani.

“We have to put our political ambitions in the backseat for the interests of New Yorkers,” he said, adding that Cuomo has signaled support for the plan, while Adams and Sliwa have not.

The poll comes as the majority of New York’s Democratic leadership has refused to endorse Mamdani, who has run on promises to make buses free and make rent cheaper. His progressive policies have led Republicans, including President Donald Trump, to label him a “communist.”

However, other recent polls show Mamdani maintaining a decisive lead over Cuomo, Adams and Sliwa.

A Data for Progress (DfP) survey, also released this week, showed 40 percent of likely voters would vote for Mamdani if the mayoral election was held on July 15. The poll also showed that 25 percent would vote for Cuomo, 15 percent would vote for Adams, 14 percent would back Sliwa, and 1 percent would vote for Walden.

The poll surveyed 756 likely voters between July 1 and 6, with a margin of error of ± 4 percentage points.

What People Are Saying

Jim Walden said during an appearance on Fox News on Saturday, “At the end of the day, I say to New Yorkers…you don’t have to choose these broken politicians who are either extremists or craven or incompetent. There is a competent change agent in the race and that’s what I’m going to be.”

Curtis Sliwa in an emailed statement sent to Newsweek reacting to the HarrisX poll: “For the first time since 2009, a Republican for NYC mayor is within the margin of error to win. That Republican is me. The momentum is real. I’m running to be the People’s Mayor and I’m going to win on November 4th!”

Zohran Mamdani posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Monday: “While Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams trip over each other to win the approval of billionaires in backrooms, our campaign remains focused on working New Yorkers and their clear desire for a different kind of politics.”

Dritan Nesho, CEO of HarrisX, said about the poll: “These numbers show a volatile race still taking shape. While the progressive base is fueling Mamdani’s rise, Cuomo’s broad name recognition and moderate appeal make him a formidable general election challenger.”

Political analyst Craig Agranoff told Newsweek via text message on Wednesday: “Establishment Democrats’ reluctance to endorse Mamdani in the NYC mayoral race stems largely from ideological divides within the party. As a self-identified democratic socialist backed by progressive groups like the DSA and figures such as AOC, Mamdani’s positions on issues like defunding the police, strong support for Palestinian rights, and aggressive economic reforms put him at odds with the more centrist, pragmatic wing represented by leaders like Jeffries, Schumer, & Hochul.”

What Happens Next?

The general mayoral election will be held on November 4.