Trump Endorses Cuomo as Mamdani Leads

On the eve of the Nov. 4 New York City mayoral election, President Trump publicly endorsed Andrew Cuomo, labeled frontrunner Zohran Mamdani a "communist," warned he might withhold federal funds, and told CBS's 60 Minutes he is "much better looking" — comments that went viral. Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist and former Queens assemblyman, has energized a large volunteer operation and campaigned on affordability while holding a strong lead in recent polls, including about 50% support in an Emerson/PIX11/The Hill survey that showed signs of narrowing. His campaign framed a vote for Cuomo as a vote for Trump and urged supporters to remain mobilized. The race drew late national intervention and controversy, with Elon Musk backing Cuomo and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issuing a partisan rebuke, highlighting the high-profile stakes. Even with enthusiasm among Mamdani's supporters, some voters remained undecided or attracted to Cuomo's experience or Curtis Sliwa's law-and-order message, leaving uncertainty about how late endorsements and scrutiny would affect turnout.