NYC mayoral candidates make their voices heard 2 years after October 7th attack
MIDTOWN, Manhattan (WABC) -- As New Yorkers condemn the savage attack of October 7th and others condemn the war that followed, the city's mayoral candidates are making their voices heard.
"To the Jewish people, I stand with you," Andrew Cuomo said. "I mourn with you, and I will forever be by your side in the fight against evil and antisemitism in all forms."
Republican Curtis Sliwa called Tuesday a "commemoration of mourning" for the lives lost, and for those that continue to be lost.
Democratic frontrunner Zohran Mamdani went further.
"Hamas carried out a horrific war crime," he said. "I mourn these lives and pray for the safe return of every hostage still held and for every family whose lives were torn apart by these atrocities."
He then condemned the deaths of 66,000 Palestinians. Israel, he said, "launched a genocidal war... I mourn these lives and pray for the families that have been shattered. Our government has been complicit through it all."
In a video posted to Instagram in February of 2024, Mamdani said, "It has become harder and harder to wake up every morning and see more and more Palestinians massacred with our tax dollars."
Mamdani was a leading voice for Palestinian rights long before he launched his campaign.
The last Maristpoll had Mamdani tied with Cuomo among likely Jewish voters. Jay De Dapper is Director of Strategy for Marist.
"The Jewish vote in New York is very fragmented on the issue of what has happened in Israel and what is happening in Israel now," De Dapper said.
So far, Mamdani has not polled more than 50%, which is why De Dapper and others believe Cuomo may still have a shot at City Hall.
"It's far enough out that there is a really narrow, but a very credible opportunity for Andrew Cuomo to win here and be a big, you know, big, big shocker," De Dapper said.
The next major poll is expected in two weeks, when we should see the real impact of Mayor Eric Adams's decision to drop out of the race, and the TV ads now blanketing the airwaves.
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